


Amazing Gracie

by JesusOtakuFreak



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Drama, F/M, General, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-03 13:30:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 59,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1746407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JesusOtakuFreak/pseuds/JesusOtakuFreak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate Universe. OC-centric. Gracie Evans' parents ships her off to boarding school. But not just any boarding school—Tokyo's top prestigious high school, Ryogoku Academy. It is here, Gracie will meet some interesting characters and face some amusing situations. Question is will she make it to the end of her first year? 99.9% chance characters will be OOC. Not intentional. 99.9% chance characters will be OOC. Not intentional. You have been warned ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Amazing Plan

**Author's Note:**

> This is an alternate universe, which means no tennis, and the guys are in high school. The characters of Seigaku, Fudomine, St. Rudolph, Yamabuki, Hyotei, Rokkaku, Rikkai, and Shitenhoji all attend Ryogoku Academy. Nearly all of them come from a wealthy background.

****Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters.****

I couldn't believe my parents were actually forcing me to do this. But it was okay because I had a surefire plan that was bound to work. I smirked as I remembered my oh, so brilliant plan. I lightly tapped my number two pencil on the wooden desk. I sat in a medium-sized classroom with several other people. Some people chatted with each other, others talked on the phone, while yet others sat there, looking nervous.

We were all there for the same purpose: ace the test that will grant us admittance into one of the country's most prestigious private boarding high school—Ryogoku Academy. Basically, it was a school where only the wealthy could go because the tuition was just ridiculously high. Ryogoku Academy wasn't only known for its exorbitance, but also for its unusually high success rate. It was said those who attended Ryogoku Academy were guaranteed acceptance into a reputable college as well as go on to become extremely successful in whatever career path they chose.

I took out my phone, glancing at the time. Only five more minutes before the test started, and the proctor had not yet arrived. I looked to my left where the windows were located. It was a beautiful Saturday morning. The weather man had promised clear skies and eighty-degree weather. Right now, I was supposed to be at the beach with my best friend.

I scowled as I drew light circles on the desk. When my parents mentioned I would be taking Ryogoku Academy's entrance exam, I flat out refused. I mean, the place was, like, literally, made for the rich and the stuffy. Ryogoku wasn't the type of school to give out scholarships, but it wasn't above giving everyone a chance to apply, whether they could afford to or not. That was where the entrance exam came in. Pass the test, and you could attend the school for free.

Simple, right? Wrong. Ryogoku Academy's entrance exams were notoriously difficult to pass. The passing rate was less than two percent! But people applied anyway. The test was free, what could it hurt? So, then, my parents got the brilliant idea of signing me up to take the exam. I really didn't care to get into the school. I had planned on going to the local high school Fujiwara High with my best friend.

The door to the classroom swung open and a stern middle-aged man walked in, carrying a clipboard. He was dressed smartly with a green vest over a black shirt and khaki pants. All conversation in the room stopped and everyone focused their attention on the man as he surveyed the class. I was in the fourth row, but I could see the hint of disgust in his eyes. Inwardly, I rolled my eyes. Clearly, the man wasn't excited at the fact that a few people in this room had a real probable chance of gaining entrance into Ryogoku Academy. I couldn't help but smirk a little. He didn't have to worry about me. I planned on purposely failing the test. The man took a seat at the front desk, placing the clipboard on top of it.

"Alright," the man started, his voice a bit hoarse, "I am going to call you up one by one. When you get up here, you will show me your two forms of ID, sign the roster, take a test booklet and answer sheet and return to your desk. The test is three hours long. You will have only three bathroom breaks. One for each hour, so if you need to go now, please do." No one got up from their seat. "Okay, I will begin calling the names. Ban Jin."

One by one the man called each person to the front. Finally, it was my turn. I presented to the man my permit and debit card. He grunted in approval, placing the test booklet and answer sheet beside me as I signed my name. I flashed the man a smile before returning to my seat. Once everyone received their things, the man began rattling off the rules and directions of the test.

"As I've said earlier, you only have three hours to complete the five sections. You may begin… now."

I opened the booklet and was immediately hit with a chemistry question. I raised my eyebrows. Whoa, it seemed like I might not have to purposely fail after all. I was definitely not going to sit for a three hour test in an attempt to attend a school I had absolutely no interest in going. So, I put any ol' answer. Luckily, it was multiple choice. Though, when I got to the writing part, that proved tricky. I simply shrugged and wrote, 'I do not know. Sorry.' I added a smiley face for good measure. The writing section was the last section of the test, and I looked up to see that only thirty minutes had gone by.

 _Ooh, that's not bad!_ I thought, chuckling inwardly.

I could hear people's pencils scratching against paper, and I exhaled slowly before standing up, cringing as my chair scraped unbelievably loud in the nearly silent room. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I slowly made my way to the front desk. The man looked at me, bewildered, his eyes narrowing when I placed my test booklet and answer sheet in front of him.

"I, uh, finished."

I tapped the closed booklet, hoping to God the man wouldn't look through it and see my incomplete essays. The man simply nodded.

"Okay, you may leave."

He waved his hand dismissively at me, and I bowed slightly before hurrying out of the room.

"Phew," I sighed, relieved. "Alright! Now, I can head home and relax—" I stopped, cringing in realization.

I couldn't go home just yet. My parents knew the test was three hours long, so they didn't expect me back until said time had passed. I groaned loudly as I made my way to the exit. _Great, now what?_

I asked myself once I made it outside. Yasumi, my best friend, was in Odaiba with her family. She invited me, but, unfortunately, the stupid test clashed with the date she and her family were leaving. I was so mad, I could scream! So, now I had to find something that could keep me occupied for at least three hours.

"To the arcade!" I announced, pointing upward.

I jogged to the nearest bus station and waited patiently for the bus to take me away to three hours of arcade fun.

* * *

The three hours passed relatively quickly. I walked to my house, humming to myself the entire way.

"Hello, I'm home!" I called once I entered the house.

"We're in the living room, dear!" Mom yelled. I followed her voice, finding my parents cuddling together on the couch, watching some silly game show. They looked over at me, their faces so bright it almost made me feel guilty for what I did. Almost. "So, how was the test? Was it as hard as everyone said?" Mom asked, patting a seat beside her. I sank into the seat.

"Oh, yeah, definitely. I'm telling you guys now, do not get your hopes up. It does not look good." I shook my head as I said this.

Mom nodded, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, we know. We just wanted you to have this opportunity," she said, pulling me into a hug.

"That's right. I mean, the test is free, there are no repercussions whatsoever for taking and failing it," Dad added.

 _Except, you know, I missed out on going on an awesome adventure with my best friend,_ I thought, bitterly, but I offered a huge smile.

"You're right. No repercussions whatsoever. Hm-mm," I said this, nodding. "Okay, well, I'm going to take a nap."

"Ah, yes, I can imagine that test took a toll on you, hm?" Mom asked.

 _More like the trek to the arcade and bus station,_ I thought.

"Hah, yeah, the test was very—" I cut myself off by yawning. "Oh, geez! I really need that nap! See you, guys."

I hurried over to the stairs, taking them two at a time and ran to my room, closing the door behind me.


	2. Amazing Surprise

**Disclaimer: I do not own PoT or its characters.**

"Oh, my gosh! Gracie, you didn't!" Yasumi cried, giggling. It was now ten o' clock in the evening. My parents were in bed because they had to get up early for work tomorrow. Their bedroom was at the end of the hall so I had no fear about them overhearing my conversation with Yasumi. I called my best friend and told her how I purposely failed the test because I had zero interest in going to Ryogoku Academy. "I bet everyone thought you were some sort of genius!" Yasumi remarked. We giggled at the prospect.

"Yeah! I wouldn't be surprised if they did. I mean, they probably didn't think someone would actually try and fail the test on purpose."

"I know I wouldn't think that. Didn't your parents think of the possibility of you throwing the test?" Yasumi inquired.

"I'm sure they were thinking it, but they didn't actually voice it nor did they seem suspicious. It doesn't matter, what's done is done." Yasumi was quiet for a while, and I had thought we lost connection. "Yasumi? You still there?"

"Yeah, yeah! I'm still here. Sorry, but I was just thinking… how weird would it be if you actually got in?"

I laughed aloud then, immediately, slapped a hand over my mouth. "You know," I began in a whisper, "I had the same thought when I first came up with the plan. But there is no way it could happen because for the multiple choice I put all A's and the writing part? I wrote 'I don't know' and a smiley face. There is just no way I passed that test!"

Yasumi laughed, though I couldn't help but notice that she sounded relieved somehow. "Oh, okay, good. That really would have been something, huh?"

"Yeah, definitely."

We changed the subject and talked about more important things such as the cute boys Yasumi met at Odaiba beach and me beating my high score today at the arcade. Finally, we said our good nights, and I clicked the light off and went to bed.

_Two weeks later…._

It was a warm, Saturday afternoon, and Yasumi and I had decided to go shopping downtown. Downtown was pretty far from my house, as it took almost an hour to get there by bus and train. But the trip was worth it. By the time we returned, the sun sat low in the sky, casting a warm glow. Yasumi and I were chatting while walking to my house, carrying several shopping bags. Well, more like _I_ was chatting and Yasumi was just nodding her head, a depressed look on her face.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, concerned.

Yasumi sighed loudly. "I had heard Ami would be going to Fujiwara," she replied, depressed.

"Really?" I said, groaning. Ami Fuse was one of the popular girls in our school as well as the meanest. "But I thought she was going to Ryogoku Academy?" It was said Ami had connections to get in without taking the test.

"So, did I, but apparently that's not the case anymore," Yasumi replied.

"Well, what happened?" I demanded as I searched for my keys.

We entered through the chain link fence gate and walked up the rocky path to the door. I unlocked the door, pushing it open and brought the bags inside.

"I dunno," Yasumi answered, shrugging and shaking her head. "Maybe she was just lying?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise," I muttered. Yasumi and I set our bags in the living room and simultaneously sank into the sofa, our exhaustion catching up to us. I blew some air. "Well, whatever. I'm not even going to care. Ami is not going to ruin my first year of high school," I declared.

"Yeah! Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we were the popular girls instead?" Yasumi asked, gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling.

"Uh, no?"

"Really? Well, whatever, being popular is actually a lot of work!" Yasumi stated, and I giggled.

"Yeah, because that's the reason I don't want to be popular. Anyways, let's get these bags up to my room then we can drop your stuff at your house," I said, getting up from the couch.

Yasumi followed behind me as we trekked up the stairs to my room. At that same moment, the front door opened, and Mom entered the house, wearing her nurse attire and carrying the mail in one hand.

"Oh, hey dear. Hey, Yasumi," Mom greeted, beaming at us.

"Hey, Mrs. Evans. You're home early," Yasumi remarked.

Mom closed the door, locking it. "I wasn't really supposed to go in today, but they called me so I only went in for half of the day," Mom answered sifting through the mail. Her eyes widened when she stopped on one. "Oh! Oh, Gracie, it's from Ryogoku Academy!"

I cringed involuntarily. Oh, right. I totally forgot about that school and the stupid entrance exam. I noticed Yasumi bouncing slightly. Her face was pensive, but her eyes held a secret glee in them. Yasumi and I both knew what the letter was going to say, but I knew I had to act my part.

"Well, open it up Mom! The waiting is just torturous!" I told Mom, feigning impatience.

"Okay, okay!" Mom hurriedly tore open the envelope, taking out the letter inside.

Watching Mom's excitement made me feel a little guilty. But, hey, I did say that I wanted no part in going to that stuck up school.

"So?" I asked, leaning forward a bit to feign interest.

Mom's eyes flew over the letter, no doubt looking for the word 'Congratulations!' Mom's shoulders then slumped, the excitement extinguishing from her eyes.

"Gracie didn't get in?" Yasumi questioned, glancing my way.

We both knew the answer. We just wanted confirmation. Mom bit her lip, turning toward us.

"Gracie did not… fail the exam!"

What?! My mouth dropped open, my face giving way to complete and utter shock. Yasumi spoke before I could, not that I could speak.

"What?!" Yasumi shrieked.

She snatched the paper out of my mother's hands and looked it over. Usually, Mom would have been annoyed with Yasumi's actions, but she seemed to be in her own mirthful world.

"Yep! You got in! And with a perfect score, too!" Mom said, happily.

No way! No way, that was impossible! I wanted to scream those words so badly. It truly was impossible. I didn't even answer the stupid essay questions! How could this have happened?!

"But… but…." I stuttered.

Yasumi was reading the letter. The dismay in her eyes mounting with each word she read. She slowly turned to me, that gleeful look in her eyes replaced with horror.

"It's true… you've been accepted." Yasumi handed the letter to me, but I didn't take it.

I turned to Mom, my voice shaking when I said, "I am not going to that school."

That seemed to snap her out of her mirthful state, and she sighed. "Gracie, we have already talked—"

"No! No, we haven't!" I interrupted. "You and Dad decided from the get-go that I would go to Ryogoku Academy even though you know dang well you can't afford it!"

"What was our deal, Gracie?!" Mom fired back. "What was our deal? We agreed that you would take the entrance exam and, if you failed, then you failed!"

"Yeah! That's the problem! I totally tried to fail the test! I just wrote down whatever! I was out of that room in thirty minutes!"

"Thirty minutes?! You finished a test that was supposed to be three hours long in thirty minutes?" Mom asked disbelievingly.

"That's right! I just… what happened…? How could I have gotten a perfect score? I mean, for the essays I had drawn pictures for goodness sake!"

I was now talking to myself. I was just beside myself. I mean, a perfect score? No, something was wrong.

"Maybe it's a mistake!" Yasumi suggested. Mom and I looked over at the girl. "It's happened before. Perhaps the school had made a mistake. Maybe this letter was meant for someone else…?"

I started to relax at Yasumi's explanation. It was logical after all. It was the only explanation that made sense.

"Yeah… a mistake. That has to be it," I agreed, nodding.

Mom frowned, but I knew she was thinking of the possibility because of my confession. "Well, there's only one way to find out… we'll have to go to the school itself and ask," Mom said.

"Or we could just forget about the whole thing," I suggested, but Mom's glare made me regret my statement.

"To think you actually threw the test. I suspected of it, but I didn't want to believe that you would actually do it." She smirked, and I dreaded her next words. "If this is indeed a mix-up, that will be fine. But I will assure you of this: you will not be going to Fujiwara. In fact, you had better pray we won't be homeschooling you at all!"

With that, Mom brushed past Yasumi and me, stomping up the steps. I looked over at Yasumi, horrified.

"Did you hear that? _Homeschooling?!_ And all because I didn't want to attend some stuffy school!"

I wanted to cry. It just wasn't fair! What was so wrong with Fujiwara anyway? Yasumi's face was also filled with sadness.

"We just need to give your Mom time to cool," she said.

"Yeah, but what about my Dad? What will I—?"

I couldn't speak. The tears were now springing to the surface, and Yasumi pulled me into a hug.

"Look on the bright side… at least you won't have to deal with Ami your first year," Yasumi told me, and I chuckled. I couldn't help myself. Yasumi always did know how to cheer me up. "Everything will be alright in the end… it will be…."

Yasumi promised this, but I knew it was a vain promise. I knew she was just saying that to make the both of us feel better.


	3. Amazing Luck

**Disclaimer: I do not own PoT or its characters.**

So, when Dad got home, Mom told him everything. Needless to say, he was very angry and actually sided with Mom on having me home schooled. But after much pleading and crying, my parents decided they would find another suitable punishment for me.

"I still want to visit Ryogoku Academy to get this cleared," Mom told Dad, and he nodded in agreement.

"I'll make an appointment and see if we can get this fixed ASAP."

They were still pressed in getting me to go to that stupid school. I didn't object because I did not want them to change their minds on my punishment. So I simply nodded, agreeing with whatever they planned.

So, that same night, Dad called the admissions office at Ryogoku Academy and made an appointment to come in on Saturday. As for my punishment, I would clean the house (the whole house, including the front and backyards) everyday, and I will not receive allowance for the rest of the summer. And this was only the tip of the punishment iceberg as I was now a prisoner within my very home, unable to receive visits from anyone and only allowed to watch TV if my parents were watching it with me, and the shows they watched were… well, not very cool to put it simply and nicely.

Saturday eventually came around, and Dad and I headed out to Ryogoku Academy at ten in the morning since the appointment was at four and it was a five hour drive from our house to the school. Every other hour, while driving, Dad would sing along with radio at the top of his lungs, irritating my ear drums. I could swear my ears were ringing every time he finished, and I was sure he was doing it on purpose to punish me further.

We finally arrived at Ryogoku Academy (praise God because I didn't think I could take anymore of Dad's horrible singing) with twenty minutes to spare. Dad pulled up to a towering double platinum gate, where a security booth was located to the right. A lanky, young man, looking in his late twenties, early thirties, sat in the booth. He was dressed in an impressive black and blue security attire with the emblem of the school emblazoned at the top right of his black jacket.

There was the sudden sound of static filling the air, as if someone just turned on the intercom. I realized that the sound was coming from the security booth. The security man was now holding a transceiver to his mouth.

"Hello, and welcome to Ryogoku Academy. What is your business?" the man asked, his voice coming through unseen speakers.

Dad rolled down his window and popped his head out of it, waving. "I have a four o'clock appointment with a Mr. Otori?" Dad sounded uncertain and even looked uncertain, which confused me.

"Hold on one second," the man replied before clicking off and getting up from his seat, disappearing from view. After a few seconds, he returned into view and picked up the transceiver, speaking into it. "State your name, please."

"Mark Evans," Dad responded clearly.

The man nodded. "Okay, Mr. Evans, I do have you confirmed for a three o'clock appointment with Mr. Otori. You may enter."

There was a buzz, and the platinum gates opened silently, permitting us entrance.

"Alright," Dad said happily, rolling his window back up and entering through the gates.

"Wait a minute, sir," the guard stopped Dad, getting out of the booth and strolling towards us. "Here's a map. The circled area is the building where the admission's office is," the guard explained, holding up a folded map.

I rolled down my window and received the map from the guard. "Thank you," I said, unfolding it and studying the map.

"Have a nice visit," the guard wished as we ventured inside.

The school was ridiculously and, probably unnecessarily, huge.

 _Was this a high school or a university?!_ I wondered as Dad and I made our way to the Administration Building.

Visitor's parking and the Administration Building were a long distance from each other. According to the map, the Admin Building was on the other side of campus. Honestly, it seemed like it would take us an hour to reach the place! _Beep! Beep!_

A loud honk startled us, and we peered behind us to see a small black bus driving our way. On the side, facing us, was the school's emblem displayed proudly. Dad and I stepped out of the street and onto the grass when the bus slowed to a stop beside us. The window rolled down, and a man looking in his late twenties and early thirties, peered back at us with a wide grin.

"Hi, there! First time visiting this place?" the man asked.

"Uh, yes. We're on our way to the administration building," Dad told the man.

The man snorted, shaking his head. "On _foot?!_ You have a map there. Clearly, you can see that it will take you folks a great deal of time to get from here to there. Come on, get in," he invited.

"Really, we can hitch a ride? We don't have to pay, do we?" Dad asked, gazing at the man suspiciously.

"No, no. This is a free service. It's included in the tuition," the man assured him.

"But we're—" I started, but Dad cut me off.

"Is that so? Well, isn't that a life saver! Come on, dear," Dad said, pulling me around the bus.

The double doors opened smoothly, and the frosty AC air immediately cooled our heated and sweaty faces. We climbed aboard and saw that we were the only ones. We took the front seats, and the driver sped off down the wide road. As we drove, I admired the campus from the window. Each building we passed was tall, stately and old, but not the crumbling and seeming to fall apart type of old, but more like a dignified and graceful type of old.

Well-trimmed hedges hugged the sides of the buildings and stunning black and blue flowers were spotted in the many gardens we passed. The school's elegant design made me feel so out of place, and I turned back around in my seat, stifling a sigh.

"Thank you, mister!" Dad said once we arrived to the Admin Building.

"Yes, thank you. You certainly saved us," I said.

"No problem! Hope you enjoy the rest of your visit!" the man said as we got off the bus. The doors shut behind us, and the bus roared off, disappearing around a corner.

Dad whistled, gazing up at the five story elegant building. "This place is not too shabby, is it, Gracie?" Dad asked, walking up the cobblestone path.

I didn't answer but followed my father up the path. The cobblestone walkway was smooth and lined by beautifully trimmed hedges. Dad opened the door, gesturing for me to enter first. The lobby, like the building, exuded grace and wealth with a sky high domed ceiling and black and blue marbled floors with the school's emblem displayed proudly in the middle of the floor. Lining the walls were impressive paintings as well as photos of past students celebrating, whether it was winning a tournament or commemorating some sort of event.

There were four couches, two on the left and two on the right along with a glass top table with neatly stacked magazines on top of it in front of them. The lighting was pretty dim, giving the lobby a sort of chill atmosphere. There was absolutely no one else besides my Dad and I and the lady at the receptionist desk at the end of the lobby.

The lady was a middle-aged woman with light brown hair tied into a tight ponytail. She wore rectangular glasses, which were pushed lowly on the nose, almost looking like they were going to fall off. She wore a light gray short-sleeved shirt with a large black belt encircling her abdomen. A rectangular golden nametag, etched with the name 'Amaya,' was pinned just under her right shoulder.

Amaya focused intently on her computer, her fingers dancing unbelievably fast across the keyboard. She was so focused, she didn't even give us a glance when we walked up to the desk. Speaking of, her desk was a mess. It was just cluttered with documents and personal junk.

"Excuse me," Dad tried grabbing the woman's attention. Amaya maintained her furious typing, not giving any indication that she heard him. "Excuse me?" Dad tried again, irritation slipping into his tone.

Amaya tore her eyes away from the computer screen, blinking as if noticing our presence for the very first time. She pushed her glasses up her nose, her brown eyes sparking curiously and with a hint of annoyance.

"Yes, may I help you?" she asked curtly.

"Yes, my name is Mark Evans, and I have a four o'clock appointment with Mr. Otori," Dad informed her, ignoring her rude tone.

Amaya simply nodded, returning her attention to the screen and typing swiftly, her fingers almost a blur.

"Ah, yes, Mark Evans," Amaya said, nodding. "I'll tell Mr. Otori that you're here." Amaya grabbed the phone found beside the computer, typing in a few numbers and waiting. "Yes, hello, Mr. Otori, your four o'clock appointment is here. Hm-mm, Mark Evans." There was a pause before Amaya nodded. "I understand." Amaya replaced the phone on its receiver. "You can go up now. Here is the number." Amaya pulled out a drawer, grabbing a stack of sticky notes and scribing on it before tearing the top note off and handing it to Dad. "Take the elevator," Amaya instructed, pointing to the elevator found just a few feet from the desk.

"Thank you," Dad said, but the woman had resumed her furious typing. Dad shrugged, strolling over to the elevator with me trudging behind.

* * *

"Here we are, the third floor," Dad announced, stepping off the elevator. "Now, then, room 305, 305…." Dad muttered making a right and ambling down the hall, studying each room's number. "Here we go!" Dad exclaimed excitedly.

"Geez, Dad, tone it down, will you?" I said, rolling my eyes.

Before Dad could knock, the oak door swung open, and a middle-aged man dressed in a gray pinstriped suit stared out at us. The man's black hair had faint touches of gray and was slicked back, the gel shimmering under the fluorescent lights. His pencil mustache was the same in that it was black with faint gray. The guy was tall, towering even my father, who was 5'8''.

"Hello, hello! You're Mark Evans, correct?" Mr. Otori greeted, his voice booming. He grabbed Dad's hand and shook it vigorously. "Nice to meet you! Nice to meet you!"

The guy was shouting even though we were standing right in front of him. It was further exacerbating my already irritated eardrums from Dad's horrendous singing.

"Uh, y-yes, n-nice to m-meet you s-sir!" Dad's voice shook because of the man's intense handshake.

Mr. Otori released his hand and turned to me, his black eyes shining excitedly. I wanted to shrink from his intense gaze.

"And you! You must be Gracie, yes? The student who had scored a perfect score on the test! That's not easy, you know! But, oh-ho, of course you knew that! My, you must have studied your butt off, young lady! We need more students like you!" The guy was literally shouting each sentence, and his laugh…! His laugh was so boisterous, I could swear the vases and paintings were trembling from the reverberation! "Well, come in! Come in!"

Oh, and the guy also liked to repeat himself. My eye twitched as Dad ventured into the office first, and Mr. Otori stared expectantly at me, and I entered inside. The office was pretty sizable, but the atmosphere was homey. A black carpet replaced the black and blue marbled floor, and one could tell the guy had a thing for plants since he had all types of the stuff decorated throughout the office. Two large, rectangular windows stood behind Mr. Otori's mahogany executive desk at the end of the room, the curtains drawn open and allowing the summer sun to stream through, providing natural light.

"Please, sit down over there," Mr. Otori gestured to a long, black chair that stood to the left side in front of the bookshelves. Dad and I sank into the couch, and Mr. Otori clapped his hands. "Should I get you two anything? Coffee? Soda? Juice?"

"No, no, we're fine," Dad told him. There he goes, speaking on my behalf and determining what I wanted yet again.

"Actually, I could go for some water," I spoke up, smiling brightly at the man.

"One ice cold water coming right up! You sure you don't want anything, sir?" Mr. Otori asked, looking to my Dad.

"Yep, I am perfectly okay," Dad assured, smiling.

"Alright, then I'll be back with that water, Miss Perfect Score," Mr. Otori said, winking (ew).

He ambled over to a sleek black refrigerator that was located in a nook I had failed to notice. It wasn't a mini refrigerator, either. Mr. Otori returned with a bottle of cold water, handing it to me.

"Thank you," I said, uncapping the drink and taking a swig.

"No problem! No problem! Now, you two are here because you believed there was some sort of mix-up with the tests?" Mr. Otori asked, stroking his chin and gazing at us thoughtfully.

"Yes," Dad and I answered simultaneously.

"I see. I don't believe there was, but it never hurts to double-check. May I ask why you think it was a mix-up?"

Inwardly, I cringed, and shifted uncomfortably in my chair. I decided I would only share half of the truth. "Er, well, I didn't really give my best on the test. So, because of that, there's just no way I could have gotten that perfect score," I explained.

Mr. Otori was studying me intently, and, when I finished, he blinked, looking surprised. "Oh, is that all? Well, I'll just tell you the news now: there was no mix-up." Mr. Otori pointed at me, "You did, in fact, receive the perfect score. I have the proof right here." Mr. Otori strolled to his desk while Dad and I exchanged bewildering glances. "Here we go, here we go!" Mr. Otori shouted happily, opening a drawer and pulling out a single sheet of paper along with the test booklet.

 _There's no way that can be mine,_ I thought when Mr. Otori returned to us, handing me the answer sheet and booklet. First, I studied the answer sheet and my eyes widened at what I saw. _Well, this is certainly mine…._ I confirmed. I had shaded 'A' for all the questions, figuring the possibility of it being right was zero percent. _Well, what about the writing part? I definitely could not have passed that one!_ I thought, confident, as I discarded the answer sheet and flipped open the test booklet. _What the—?!_ I gaped at the first page where my simple response to the complex essay question was: 'I don't know. Sorry.' "This…! This is impossible! How could I get a perfect score with _this?!_ " I demanded of Mr. Otori, shooting to my feet and stabbing at the booklet. "I didn't even answer the question!"

"Actually, you did," Mr. Otori said, his eyes gleaming.

"H-huh?" I stuttered, lowering the booklet.

Mr. Otori took the booklet from me, pointing at the essay question. "You see at the end of the question? It says, 'Answer truthfully and concisely.' And you did! You responded, you do not know, which, for you, was the truth. Plus it was short and to the point!" Mr. Otori chuckled deeply, enjoying my stunned expression. "Each essay question had that, and you answered each question the same. Therefore, you passed!"

"But I wasn't _trying_ to pass! I was totally trying to fail!" I confessed.

At this, Mr. Otori guffawed, and I swore the room shook. "What? You actually failed at failing?! Now, isn't that something else! How funny! How funny!" Mr. Otori laughed heartily.

My face heat up, and I heard a snort coming from beside me. I turned to Dad, glaring harshly at him.

"Hey, hey, it's not my fault your plan backfired on you," Dad said, holding up his hands in defense. He smiled, trying, and failing, to keep from laughing. "You do realize that if you had actually tried your best, you probably would have failed, right?" I sputtered, unable to form a coherent sentence. "So, Mr. Otori, just to clarify, Gracie has been accepted into the school, right?"

Mr. Otori nodded, looking overjoyed. "Oh, yes! Of course she is! Of course she is! I mean, hello, perfect score? You know, Gracie, you are one of the very few people to have received a perfect score! Congratulations, and I hope to see you here this year."

"Oh, she'll definitely be here," Dad promised.


	4. Amazing First Day, Part 1

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters.**

**AN: I do not know how Japan's schools work. I did do some research on it and have a little understanding but it's very, very, very little. So, I do apologize if it's nothing like how they do in Japanese schools.**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Amazing First Day, Part 1**

Three weeks later, and I had moved into the dorms of Ryogoku Academy.

"You'll thank us later, I just know it!" Mom promised, giving me a bear hug.

We were standing by the car in the visitor's parking lot. We had just finished moving in all my things in my room, and now it was time for my parents to leave.

"Make us proud, kiddo," Dad said, patting my head.

"I still can't believe you guys are doing this to me," I said, scowling.

"Trust us. We know what we're doing," Dad said.

"Bye, Gracie! See you in a few months!" Mom said, and she and Dad entered the car and drove off, leaving me there all by my lonesome. My eyes burned of unshed angry tears as I stomped out of the lot.

I was about to unlock the door to my room when I heard voices coming from inside. I opened the door and saw a young girl with chin length brown hair and a fair complexion, putting away some clothes in the drawers while a tall young, man with blond hair was helping her unpack.

"Oh, you must be my roommate!" the girl spoke cheerfully, folding away her clocthes in the drawer and bounding over to me. "I'm Tachibana An. Nice to meet you!" she said, smiling brightly. "And this is my older brother." An gestured to the tall, blond guy who joined us.

"Tachibana Kippei. Nice to meet you," Tachibana said, bowing slightly.

"Uh, yeah, nice to meet you, too," I said. "I'm Gracie Evans."

"Oh, your name…." An said, gazing at me curiously.

"Yes, it's American. I'm from America," I explained.

"Really?! Wow, you came all the way from America to study here? That's pretty cool. Don't you think so, nii-san?" An asked, looking to her older brother.

"Actually…." I started saying, but An cut me off.

"Your Japanese is pretty good! How long have you been in Japan?"

"Five years. My family and I moved here when I was nine," I answered.

"Oh, so you've been in Japan this whole time?" For some reason, An seemed pretty disappointed with this fact.

"Pretty much. Excuse me," I said, moving past the pair and going over to my side.

"Well, I hope we can get along well, Evans-san," An said, smiling.

"I hope so, too. And call me Gracie," I said, unzipping my suitcase.

It took a while, but An, Tachibana and I finally finished packing. I sighed, relieved and sat at my desk. It was a smooth mahogany desk, and I had carefully arranged my textbooks and novels binder to binder. I straightened the photo of my family and grabbed one of the novels, thumbing it through it.

"Thanks for everything, nii-san. I'll see you later," An said.

I looked over to see Tachibana standing outside the doorway as the siblings exchanged goodbyes.

"It was nice meeting you, Tachibana-san. See you," I said, waving from my desk.

"It was nice meeting you, too, Gracie-san. An, make sure you behave yourself," Tachibana said, turning to his sister.

"Hey, I'm not a little kid that you have to say that!" An protested, puffing her cheeks in indignation.

Tachibana chuckled, patting An on the head before leaving out the room.

"Your brother is really nice," I commented.

"Yeah, I know," An said, closing the door. "What's that you're reading?" she asked, pointing at the book in my hand.

"It's a mystery book," I answered, finding the page I last read. "I was reading it on the way here."

"Did you read all those books?" An asked, pointing at the novels on my desk. She seemed and sounded impressed.

"Not all of them," I replied. "It's a series. I have to read them in a certain order."

"Oh, really?" Suddenly, a loud, growling noise filled the room, and I realized it was coming from An's stomach. An's face turned pink. "Well, that was embarrassing."

"We all have our moments," I said, smiling and standing to my feet. "Sounds like it's time to check out the café."

* * *

"This food is amazing! I didn't think food could look so good. I almost don't want to eat it…." I said aloud, gazing down at the food I had gotten from the buffet.

"Really? I've certainly seen better," An said, not looking a bit impressed.

_I have to remember that An was raised with a silver spoon in her mouth. Of course she won't easily be impressed. She probably eats five star meals on a daily basis,_ I thought, cringing as I remembered my status. More than likely, I was the only person here on a scholarship.

"Ugh, their food is as dull as always," a girl remarked to her friend, passing by our table.

"I know, right? When will they get a new caterer? Clearly, the ones they have now have no taste whatsoever," the girl's friend replied.

I couldn't help but gawk after the pair and looked down at my meal. It was a juicy grilled steak with a side of bright steamed vegetables. The food was so artfully displayed that I almost didn't want to eat it. Almost. I cut into the steak, taking a bite.

_It's… it's so_ good! I thought, eating some more of the steak and trying the vegetables.

"Whoa, Gracie, it's either you're really hungry, or the food actually taste pretty good," An remarked, watching me with wide eyes.

"Both," I answered, downing my strawberry limeade drink. "The drinks are super tasty, too!" I commented, happy. _Oh, I can_ totally _get used to this,_ I thought, happily drinking.

Once we finished eating, An and I decided to check out the campus. Using the bus, we were able to visit the school's bistro, store, sports facilities, etc. By the time we finished, it had gotten pretty dark.

"This school is so big!" I said, entering our room.

"I know, right? I like it," An stated, closing the door. I kicked off my shoes near my bed, grabbed my book and flopped onto my bed. "Classes start tomorrow! Are you excited, Gracie?" An asked, flopping onto her own bed.

_Not really,_ I thought, stifling a heavy sigh. "It's school. Why on earth would I be excited that school is starting?" I asked, turning to the bookmarked page.

"Yeah, but it will be the first day of high school! That's a pretty big deal, you know."

"If you say so," I replied.

"Geez, so you get excited over some plain food, but when it comes to the first day of the first year of high school you're ho-hum? I don't get you…." An said, causing me to giggle.

"How can you possibly compare those two things? And how was that food plain?!"

"It was plain. I've had better at a fast food restaurant."

"Really? Wow…." I knew the girl was exaggerating but geez.

"Anyways, Gracie, like it or not, we're in this together, okay? Let's make this year the best one!" An said, jumping off the bed and bounding toward me. She raised a fist toward me and smiled expectantly at me.

"Yeah, okay," I said, lightly bumping her fist.

* * *

The next day, I woke, disoriented when I saw that I wasn't in my room, and then I remembered. _Oh, yeah, that's right…._

It was surreal that I had actually ended up in Ryogoku Academy, one of Japan's top-notch high schools, not to mention the richest. The bathroom door opened, and An stepped out, wearing the school's uniform. I was not going to lie, the school uniform was super cute. The uniform consisted of a white short sleeved button shirt with a sky blue tie and a short pleated black skirt with two large blue stripes at the ends.

"Oh, Gracie, did you just wake up?" An asked, checking herself in her vanity mirror.

"Yes, I did. What time…?" I looked to my alarm clock and saw that it was 7:45 am. "Classes start at nine, right?"

"Yeah, but I have to go to the admissions office and get a little problem of mine sorted out. Sorry, Gracie, but it seems like I can't go with you to class on the first day," An said, pouting.

"It's okay. We can always meet up for lunch, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. Okay, I'll see you later then!" An promised, rushing out the door.

_Right. Well, since I'm already up, I might as well get ready,_ I decided, kicking off my covers.

* * *

"Oh, no, I think I'm lost!" I fretted. I walked along the wide asphalt road, studying the huge map I held in front of me. "The school building just where…? Argh!" I crumpled the map in anger, earning curious stares from passing students. _I'll just ask someone instead,_ I decided. "Um, excuse me!" I stopped a passing female student. "Could you tell me where the classrooms are?"

"Classrooms? Oh, you're talking about the main building. I'm afraid that's on the other side of campus," the girl said, pointing in the opposite direction I was walking from.

"Eh, really?! Come on, at this rate I'm going to be late on the first day of school," I groaned.

"There's no way you'll make it by foot. Take the bus," the girl suggested, walking off.

"The bus? Oh, wait!" I called, but she didn't hear me. "The bus? That's right, I remember this place does have a transportation system. I guess I better go find this bus then," I decided, sighing. I stared down at the balled up map and reopened it. "So, the nearest bus stop is… that way!" I said, running in the direction I had come from.

_Ooh, I see people over there!_ I thought, relieved and happy. It took me ten minutes to find the bus stop, but I did, thank God. Four people, two boys and two girls, stood, chatting animatedly with each other. I stopped a few inches from the group, looking both ways in search of the bus. _I hope it won't come late,_ I thought anxiously.

"Seriously?!" one of the girls shouted, gaping at one of the boys. She was a slender girl with medium length brown hair that was tied into pigtails. "Someone really did?!"

"Yup, it's true! A freshman got a perfect score on the entrance test!" one of the boys spoke loudly. He was short with brown hair that pointed slightly to the right and had a thin unibrow.

My ears perked up at this statement, and I found myself listening on the group's conversation.

"A perfect score! Wow, that's incredible. Isn't the test like super difficult?" the other boy asked, looking awed. He was the same height as the other one with wide brown eyes and flowy black hair that stopped just below his chin.

"Of course the test is difficult!" Unibrow declared. "After all, if you pass, you get into the school for free! They have to make it difficult. But this person—a freshman, no less—passed the test as if it was nothing!"

"He must be a super genius then!" the black-haired boy spoke.

"Hey, hey, why must it be a 'he'? Why can't it be a girl?" Pigtails demanded, crossing her arms, appearing indignant.

I stifled a giggle as PIgtails started reprimanding the black-haired boy on being sexist.

"Sorry, Oskada-san, I didn't mean to offend! I didn't mean it like that at all," the black-haired boy weakly defended himself.

"Well, whatever gender this person happens to be, I'd like to meet 'em!" Unibrow declared.

"Yeah, but if they got a perfect score on the entrance exam, that means they'll be in that class, won't they?" the girl, who hadn't spoken yet, said softly. She was slender, having the same height as Pigtails and had long brown hair with some strands peaking over the right side of her face while the rest was tied in long pigtail braids.

The girl spoke so softly, I only caught the last bit of her sentence.

That _class? What class is she talking about?_ I wondered.

"Of course! If you score well on the entrance exam, you're guaranteed to get into either S or A class!" Unibrow said.

_S or A…? They don't put students of the same year together?_ I wondered.

"But since that person got a perfect score he—"

"—Or _she_ ," Pigtails—Osakada—interjected, glaring at Unibrow.

Unibrow rolled his eyes, looking exasperated. "That person will definitely be in S class. Oh, there goes the bus!"

Indeed, the black bus came rumbling down the road. Although I was happy at seeing the bus, I wished it had arrived just a bit later so I could continue eavesdropping.

_Forget eavesdropping, just ask what the whole deal is with these classes,_ I thought.

The bus came to a stop in front of us, and the doors opened. The four climbed inside, and I followed. The bus was practically full. The four students had to separate, claiming the last seats. I shuffled further into the bus, keeping my gaze down and grabbing a pole. It seemed I would be unable to inquire about the classes. The doors closed, and the bus started forward, rumbling down the road. I tightened my grip on the pole as the bus picked up speed.

"Excuse me, miss?" a male voice spoke behind me, catching my attention.

I turned around to see a young boy with silvery gray hair and brown eyes, wearing a silver cross. The boy's uniform fit pretty well on him. Like the girls' uniform, there was the white short sleeved button shirt and sky blue tie and black pants.

The guy was smiling kindly at me, standing to his feet. "You can take my spot," he offered.

"Really? Thank you, but I'm fine," I told him. At that same moment, the bus sped over a bump, bouncing hard and causing me to lose my grip on the pole. "Ah, shoot!" I cried, stumbling back.

"I got you," the same guy said, catching me.

"T-thank you," I sighed, relieved. "Um, maybe I should take you up on that offer," I forcefully laughed, my face turning pink.

"Please," the kind guy said, moving so I could take his seat.

"Thank you very much!" I said, smiling brightly.

"It's no problem," the guy replied, smiling warmly.

_Wow, how nice of him,_ I admired.

Soon, the bus stopped in front of what had to be the hugest building on the entire campus. The doors opened, and students piled out of the bus, chatting happily with each other. I stepped off the bus and couldn't help but gawk. A wide, smooth granite walkway led to the enormous stately building, and there was a huge water fountain in the middle of the walkway. Black and blue flowers lined the path, and there were six black and blue metal benches at the edges of the path, three on each side.

"How long do you plan on staying like that? If you don't move soon, you'll be late," someone said, brushing past me. The guy wore a blue baseball cap backward, covering his short dark brown hair and was walking briskly towards the school's entrance.

"Oh, he's right," I said, shaking my head and hurrying up the path.


	5. Amazing First Day, Part 2

"Room 5-S, room 5-S…." I muttered as I studied the classroom plaques. "Oh, here we go."

I stopped in front of a dark birch door with the golden plaque '5-S' etched in bold black. I could hear the murmurs of students inside, and I drew in a large breath before exhaling slowly. I reached for the knob and saw that my hand was shaking terribly. I grabbed it with my other hand, bringing it back to myself.

 _Come on, Gracie, you can do this. There's nothing to be afraid of,_ I scolded myself.

"Is there something wrong?" someone spoke, startling the mess out of me.

"Gah!" I yelped, whirling around to see a tall, young man wearing glasses. He had dark brown hair that parted to the left and was gazing stoically down at me. "Um, er, n-no, nothing's wrong," I lied, hiding my hands behind my back and forcing a smile to my face.

"If you say so, then will you be going in?" the guy asked, his impassive expression not changing in the slightest.

"R-right." I quickly turned around, twisting the knob and entering inside.

The guy strode past me, sitting in a seat in the front row. I quickly scanned the room for an open seat, without making eye contact with anyone, and found a seat in the back. Keeping my gaze down, I quickly hurried to the seat, slumping into it. All around me, students were chatting excitedly, and I sighed, removing my backpack from my shoulders and unzipping it, rummaging through it for my notebook and pencil. At that same moment, the door opened and a fairly young woman entered the room. Chatter dimmed to a hush as the teacher strolled to the desk.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to homeroom. My name is Izumi Nako. Let's have a successful year, hm?" she said, smiling brightly.

She had long, flowy black hair that stopped below her shoulders, and her height was average. Sporting the school's colors, she wore a light blue shirt and a black pencil neck skirt that stopped just above her knees.

"Yes, Izumi-sensei," the class returned.

"Very well, let's take attendance now."

Izumi called out each student's name with the student confirming his or her presence. As the teacher did roll call, I couldn't help but wander to the conversation those guys were having at the bus stop.

 _S class…? One of them said that because I got a perfect score I've been put in this class. That means the people here are actually super smart whereas I only got here by pure luck! How could this have happened? I'm smart, but I'm pretty sure I'm not S class smart,_ I thought worriedly.

"Evans Gracie? Evans Gracie?" Izumi glanced up from the sheet and scanned the students. "Is Evans Gracie not here?"

 _Evans Gracie? Oh, crap that's me!_ "S-sorry! That's me!" I apologized, raising a hand. My face started burning slightly as some students turned to look at me.

Izumi's blue gaze landed on me, and she smiled. "Oh, okay. Please pay attention."

"R-right. Sorry," I apologized again, my face a deep red.

The teacher continued with roll call until she finished. "Okay, so let's get started, shall we?" Izumi said, placing the attendance sheet down.

* * *

 _It's… it's impossible!_ I thought, sighing heavily. It was now lunch break, and some students were leaving while others stayed. The class was brutally rough, just as I figured. _I definitely can't stay in this class, or I'll flunk out!_

I ran out of the room, planning on using this break period to head over to Mr. Otori's office and seeing if I could switch into a lower class. I ran down the hall, dodging students and making a sharp turn around the corner where the elevators were found.

"Look out!" a boy cried, charging my way.

" _Eek!"_ I screamed, halting in my steps, but the guy was moving way too fast to stop in time.

"Oof!" We both grunted as we collided and toppled, sideways, to the ground with the guy falling on top of me.

"Hey, what is your problem?!" I snapped. "Get off me!"

"Sorry, sorry!" the guy quickly apologized, rolling off me and hopping to his feet. "Really sorry 'bout that," he said, lending out a hand. I took it, and he helped me to my feet.

"Just be careful next time," I said, sighing.

"Right. Again, sorry!" the guy said, moving past me and tearing down the hall.

"That guy, just what is his hurry?" I wondered. "Ah, whatever. I got to get going before class starts again!" I said, running to one elevators and punching the down button.

* * *

"Can I see Mr. Otori?" I asked Amaya.

The woman had her face buried in a thick mystery novel. She glanced up at me, her glasses perched on the very tip of her nose.

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked.

"No…." Amaya returned her attention to her book, lifting it so that her face was completely obscured. "But, but it's very important!" I insisted. "Please, I must—"

"No appointment, no go," Amaya cut in.

I scowled, sticking my tongue out at her. "Fine, an appointment then. How do I go about doing that?"

"Call Mr. Otori's office and set up an appointment with him."

"Call him? Okay, do you know where I can get the number for his—"

"There's a directory on the wall over there. It has the person's office number," Amaya pointed behind me, her face still buried in her book.

I looked behind me and saw the huge directory mounted on the wall, near the entrance.

"Oh, okay then…." I made my way over to the directory, steaming over the woman's rude behavior. I found Mr. Otori's office number and called it on my cell phone. I got his voicemail and left a message. _Well, now all there's left to do is wait,_ I thought. I quickly turned around, bumping into someone and felt something hot spill onto my uniform and arms. _"Aieeee!"_ I screeched, jumping back and waving my scalding arms while the scorching liquid seeped through my shirt, the smell of coffee invading my nose.

"I-I'm so sorry!" the person apologized.

It was the same nice guy from the bus. He was holding a now empty cup tray, his brown eyes staring widely at me in shock and remorse.

"It's okay. It was my fault," I said, wincing in pain.

"Oh, no, your arms!" The guy pointed at my increasingly reddening arms.

"Yeah, that doesn't look good. But I'll be fine," I grimaced.

The guy shook his head, his expression serious. "No, there's no way you'll be fine without treatment. Come on, I'll take you to the nurse."

I would protest, but the pain was actually increasing to the point where it was almost unbearable.

"Thank you," I mumbled.

* * *

"There we go. All finished," Nurse Kanzaki said, smiling widely when she finished wrapping my left arm with gauze.

"Ugh, I look like a half mummy or something," I muttered, lifting up both my bandaged arms.

"I'm so sorry, Evans-san. I should have been more careful," Otori apologized, rubbing his head and looking so remorseful.

"I keep telling you, Otori-san, that you are not to blame. I was the one who should have been more careful," I said, hopping down the bed.

"You can remove the gauze in a few hours," Kanzaki told me. "Also, for the pain, aloe vera will help with that."

"Aloe vera? I don't think I have any…." I muttered.

"They have some at the campus store," Otori told me.

"Really? Then, I'll stop by there after school. I'm going to need some stain removers, too," I said, glancing down at my stained white shirt.

"Let me find you a spare shirt. There's no way you can go around with that huge stain," Kanzaki said, going over to the drawers beneath the counter and opening one. "You're a size medium, correct?" Kanzaki inquired, peering over at me.

"Yes."

"Then, here we go," Kanzaki pulled out a folded white buttoned shirt, handing it to me.

"Thank you so very much!" I said, running to the bathroom to change. When I finished, I stepped out, my ruined shirt balled up in my hands. "Thank you for lending me this shirt, Nurse Kanzaki. I'll be sure to wash it and return it to you tomorrow," I promised.

Kanzaki nodded. "Now, that we've got that settled, let me give you two a note for your teachers," Kanzaki said, going over to the counter where a pen and blank sheet of paper lay. She tore the paper in half, scribbling a quick note and handing us each our note.

"Thank you, Nurse Kanzaki," I said, bowing before heading out the room.

"Yes, thank you." Otori bowed and followed after me.

"That was really kind of you to walk me to the nurse's. Honestly, if you hadn't I would have gotten lost for sure," I said to Otori as we left the health building and trekked down the granite path.

"It's nothing, really. There was no way I could just leave you like that. We can wait here for the bus," Otori said, reaching the end of the path where it met the wide, asphalt road.

"Geez, to think this place is actually so big it needs its own transportation system. That's just so ridiculous," I remarked.

Otori chuckled. "I guess. This is your first year, Evans-san?"

"You guessed it. And call me Gracie by the way. I'm just not use to people calling me by my last name. It sounds so weird," I stated.

"Gracie-san then," Otori said, nodding.

"Or just Gracie. Is this your first year?"

"No, my second," Otori answered.

"Do you like it here?"

"I love it here. It's not bad at all. The people here are amazing, too," Otori said, smiling. "There goes the bus."

The bus rumbled to a stop in front of us, the doors opening. I stepped in first and saw that it was empty. I sat in the front seat and Otori sat beside me.

"I hope I'll start liking this place. So far, I just feel like I don't belong," I said, sighing heavily and slumping back.

Otori frowned, gazing at me with concern. "Why do you feel like that?"

"Uh, well…." How about the fact that I didn't want to come to this school in the first place? How about I tried totally flunking the entrance test only to end up getting the perfect score, which then propelled me into the highest ranked class in the school? It was definitely no wonder as to why I didn't feel like I belonged. But I wasn't going to tell Otori all that. "Perhaps it's because I'm here on scholarship. I'm pretty much reminded everywhere I go that I'm here as a freebie."

"Oh, is that all?" Otori chuckled.

"Hmph. No one has said anything yet, but people tend to figure these things out, you know. Soon, they'll be calling me a freeloader. I know because I've seen it on TV." At this, Otori laughed out loud. "Hey, it's not funny! I know not everything on TV is real, but they base these things on _something_ you know!"

"Sorry, sorry, it's just, I really don't think you have anything to worry about, Gracie-san," Otori said, ceasing his laughing and smiling broadly at me.

"Well, we'll just see."

The bus stopped in front of the main school building, and Otori and I stepped off. We entered inside, going to the bank of elevators.

"Which floor?" Otori asked, pressing the third floor.

"Five."

"Eh, five, really?" Otori asked, surprised and pressing the number.

"Yeah, what are you so surprised about?" I asked.

"It's just the fifth floor is the S floor," Otori stated.

"Yes…?"

"You're in S class?"

"Yes," I answered, sighing heavily.

"Wow, Gracie-san, so you're… you must be pretty smart to be on _that_ floor, and you're a freshman, too." Otori gazed at me as if in a whole new light.

 _Oh, no, don't stare at me like that! Lord knows I do not deserve to be in S class,_ I thought, depressed. The elevator stopped on the third floor, its doors opening.

"This is my stop. Hopefully, I'll see you around, Gracie-san!" Otori said, waving goodbye and stepping off the elevator.

"Yeah, see you," I waved, the doors closing. _Well, now it's back to that ridiculously hard class. Ugh, Lord, help me._


	6. Amazing S Class Students

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter Six: Amazing S Class Students**

"Do not forget those problems are due tomorrow, and you will have a math test tomorrow on chapters one through three, so study hard. Alright, that will be all," Izumi dismissed, collecting her things and heading out the classroom.

 _Im… impossible!_ I thought, gawking at the hurried notes I scribbled down. Izumi-sensei spoke so fast, I could barely keep up. In fact, there were definitely some parts I missed.

 _I can't believe Izumi-sensei actually expects us to finish a hundred of these math problems_ and _study for a test on three chapters by tomorrow! Surely, I'm not the only one freaking out about this…?_

"It's true what they say: Izumi-sensei is a pretty easy teacher."

"I know, right? I'm totally going to knock these problems out by dinner, take it easy, then study for that test."

"Yeah, same here."

I gaped at the two boys who were laughing and goofing around with each other as they left the room. Finish the problems by dinner? But that was in an hour!

_No way! There's a hundred problems and sensei asked us to show work for each one!_

I started feeling dizzy. It was so painfully clear that I was out of my element here.

"Hey, are you alright?" a voice asked beside me.

I looked over to see a rather cute boy with medium length silver-brown hair, his gray-brown eyes staring down at me with concern.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," I lied, closing my notebook. I was about to stuff it in my backpack, when I remembered something. "Um, is it possible if I could see your notes?"

"No." The answer was both immediate and unexpected, that I didn't know how to respond. Seeing my bewildered expression, the guy quickly explained. "I mean, I didn't take any notes. Don't need to." What. I couldn't believe it, but at the same time I could. This guy probably had eidetic memory or something. It wouldn't surprise me. "But I know someone who can help you with that. Hey, Yukimura," the guy called to someone who had just finished packing his things.

The guy, Yukimura, glanced over at us and smiled warmly.

 _Oh, he's another cute one,_ I noted as Yukimura slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way over to us.

He had chin-length cerulean blue hair, and his appearance was serene and, well, cool with his blazer draped across his shoulders.

"Hey, Shiraishi," Yukimura greeted. He looked over at me, his warm smile turning into a concerned frown at the sight of my bandaged limbs. "Oh, my, your arms…."

"Yeah, I was going to ask about it as well," Shiraishi said, studying my arms.

"Oh, this? It's nothing. I just had some hot coffee spilled on me. Just some first degree burns. Nothing too serious," I assured, waving dismissively. I pointed at Shiraishi's own bandage wrapped left arm. "Same problem?" I asked, curious.

"Ah, no, not really," Shiraishi said, lifting the bandaged arm.

When he didn't say anymore, I decided to drop the subject and turned to Yukimura with a hopeful expression. "Is it possible if I could borrow your notes?" I asked.

"My notes?" Yukimura repeated.

"Yeah, I missed some of what Izumi-sensei said," I explained, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Sure, I have no problem with that," Yukimura said, unzipping his bag.

I stood to my feet, squealing. "Oh, thank you, thank you! I'll copy the notes real quick so you can study for tomorrow."

"No, it's fine. Take your time," Yukimura said, handing me his notebook.

"Really? But don't you need your notes to study?" I asked, taking the book and looking at him curiously.

"For math? No, not really," Yukimura answered, smiling.

"Yeah, Yukimura is pretty much one of the best when it comes with math," Shiraishi remarked.

"Wow, thank you so much, Yukimura-san! This means a lot!" I said, bowing.

"It's fine. By the way, are you new to this school? I've never seen you before," Yukimura asked.

"Yes, I am. Gracie Evans, first year. Nice to meet you two!" I said, bowing again. When I straightened, both guys' faces held surprise. "Eh? What's wrong?"

"You're a freshman?" Shiraishi asked.

"Yes, I am. You know, you guys aren't the only ones to look so shocked. What's so strange about a freshman being in S class?" I asked.

"It's not something that occurs often," Yukimura explained.

"Yeah, to get into S class your first year you pretty much have to be gifted," Shiraishi added.

 _Can we add lucky, too?_ I thought.

"How interesting. You're the second freshman to enter S class," Yukimura remarked.

"Who's the first one?" I asked.

"He actually sits in front of you. Echizen Ryoma," Shiraishi replied. "He's a second year, now."

"Well, I'm going now. I plan on finishing the homework before dinner," Yukimura said, heading for the door. I glanced at the clock on the wall. Forty-five minutes left before the cafeteria opened for dinner.

"You're going to finish all one hundred problems in forty-five minutes? All while showing your work?!" I asked, dismayed.

"No, I plan on getting it done in thirty," Yukimura said with a smile. "See you."

"In… incredible…." I commented, shaking my head.

"So, you sure you're fine now?" Shiraishi asked.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for asking," I said, smiling.

"Well, if you say so."

Shiraishi waved goodbye before leaving me alone in the room.

It was official. I just _had_ to get Mr. Otori to switch me out of this class before it was too late!

* * *

Leaving the main building, I caught the bus and rode it to the campus store where I planned on purchasing the aloe vera and stain remover. The store's size and selection was pretty impressive, ranging from high-end electronics to even classy furniture. I sauntered to the skin care section and found a small selection of aloe vera skin cream. I grabbed the smallest one, examining the price.

"What…? That can't possibly be the price for something so small!" I objected, gaping at the price. "If it costs this much for the smallest size, I don't even want to look at the others. But I'm going to need at least a medium bottle if I'm going to apply it to both my arms."

I cringed at the high price of the medium-sized bottle. In the end, I chose the small-sized cream, stifling my tears as I went in search of stain removers. The same thing happened with the stain remover in that the smallest one they had was so ridiculously high, I decided to just skip it.

 _Okay, so it's clear I will not be shopping in this place unless I absolutely have to,_ I decided with a heavy sigh as I made my way toward the checkout line. I passed by an area where they were selling coffee, tea and pastries. My stomach faintly rumbled, reminding me that I had yet to eat since I skipped lunch. I stopped in front of the quaint shop, gazing up at the menu and internally groaning at the prices. _I know this is a school for the wealthy but, come on, surely there are some people who are upset over these ridiculous prices?_

"Oh, it's Gracie-san," a familiar voice spoke behind me.

I turned around and saw Otori, walking toward me along with another guy. He wore a blue baseball cap backwards, covering his short dark brown hair, and I noticed a white band-aid just above his left eyebrow.

 _Oh, that guy, somehow I felt like I've seen him before,_ I thought. "Otori-senpai, hey. Hello," I greeted Otori's friend, bowing to him.

"Yo," he said, nodding.

"This is my friend Shishido Ryo, and this is Evans Gracie," Otori introduced.

"Nice to meet you," I said, smiling.

"Yeah, same here," Shishido replied, though he appeared disinterested.

"How are your arms?" Otori asked, gazing at them in concern.

"Oh, they're fine. I got that aloe vera cream Nurse Kanzaki recommended," I said, holding up the pitiful size bottle.

"Are you sure that will be enough for both of your arms?" Otori asked.

"It's going to have to do. I can't, uh, really afford the other sizes," I mumbled.

"I can buy the cream for you," Otori offered. "After all, it's my fault that you got burned in the first place."

"Wait, _you_ did that, Chotaro?" Shishido asked, surprised, pointing at my bandaged arms.

"It wasn't his fault," I interjected. "It was mine, so you're fine Otori-senpai," I assured him.

"Come on, I _want_ to help you," Otori insisted.

Shishido sighed, rubbing his head. "You might as well just let him get it for you. He's not going to back down."

Oh, who was I to turn down free stuff? "Okay, thank you very much, then," I said, beaming.

So, Otori purchased the aloe vera for me along with the stain remover.

"Thanks so much, Otori-senpai!" I said once the person finished bagging my things.

"It's no problem," Otori replied, smiling warmly.

 _Okay, so after this, I'll go to my room and start my homework and study for that test, and then—_ My thoughts were interrupted by a loud growling noise, and I realized, with great horror, that it came from my stomach. Shishido and Otori were staring at me with such curious expressions, I weakly chuckled. "That's what happens when you skip lunch."

"You skipped lunch? Why?" Otori asked.

"I needed to get a problem of mine fixed, but it seems it'll be a lot more troublesome than I expected," I answered.

"Problem…? Ah," Otori's eyes widened in remembrance. "Is that what you were doing at the Admin Building?"

"Yup. I needed to speak to Mr. Otori and ask him if he could switch me to a lower class."

"Lower class?" Shishido and Otori repeated.

"But you're in S class," Otori said. "Why would you want to be switched into a lower class?"

"I have my reasons," I replied, crossing my arms and looking away.

"Tch. How lame," Shishido muttered, glaring to the side.

"Excuse me?" I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I said, that's lame," Shishido said in a louder tone, fixing his glare on me. "There are hundreds of students at this school who can only dream of being in S class. And, here you are, wanting to switch into a lower class because, what, it's too hard? If that's the case, you might as well drop out of this school altogether," Shishido snapped, scowling at me.

"Hey, what is _your_ problem?" I snapped back. "So, I don't want to be in S class. So, what? That doesn't mean I'm some quitter or weakling. I have my reasons—reasons that don't concern you and are none of your business!"

"And I don't care for your reasons because, to me, it'll just be excuses!"

"They're not—!"

"Shishido-senpai, Gracie-san, please," Otori pleaded, squeezing in between us. "You're both making a scene…."

I scowled, jabbing a finger at Shishido. "I know what your problem is. You're one of them, aren't you? You're one of those students 'who can only dream of being in S class,' aren't you?" I accused, restating his words in a high-pitched voice. "Don't take your failure out on me!"

"Gracie-san!" Otori yelled sharply.

"Leave it, Chotaro," Shishido said, the fire dimming from his eyes. "Tch."

Shishido turned away sharply, leaving for the exit. As he left, the anger in me burned away, guilt taking its place.

"Oh, no," I spoke softly. "Wait, Shishido-senpai, I was—"

"Hold it, Gracie-san, just leave him for now," Otori advised, looking after his friend with great concern.

I groaned. "Oh, but he was right! My reason… although it may be a legitimate reason to drop out of S class, it's also just an excuse not to try hard. But there's just no way I can stay in that class…." I was now speaking to myself, contemplating on whether or not I should switch after all.

"If you really think you don't belong in S class, I could probably help you," Otori said.

"Huh? How?" I asked.

"You said you wanted to speak to Mr. Otori, right? I could help you with that. But, first, I need to make a stop."

* * *

So, it turned out Mr. Otori was Otori's uncle, and Otori was delivering coffee to his uncle when I bumped into him. Apparently, he would deliver coffee to him on a daily basis. Otori purchased two juices bottles before we left the campus store and caught the bus, riding it to the Admin Building.

"What are you, his gofer?" I asked.

"No, I do this because I want to," Otori said, smiling. "My uncle works pretty hard. He has to deal with upset students, parents and even faculty."

"So, both those juices are for him?" I asked.

"No, the other one is for Amaya-san."

 _Ugh, that useless receptionist lady,_ I thought, rolling my eyes. "That's really nice of you, Otori-senpai."

Otori shrugged. "I just treat people how I want to be treated."

"Ah, yes, the silver rule," I said, nodding.

"Um, I think that's the golden rule," Otori corrected.

"Really?" I thought for a second and then shook my head. "No, no, I'm sure it's the silver rule."

"Then what would be the golden rule?"

I paused, deliberating on a response. "Uh, don't do… drugs…?"

Otori looked at me skeptically, and I burst out laughing. "Okay, okay, fine. You win."

* * *

We arrived to the Admin Building, heading inside and seeing Amaya packing away for the night.

"Amaya-san, you're leaving for the night?" Otori asked, stopping in front of her desk.

Amaya smiled brightly at the boy. "Yes, I am, Chotaro-kun. Your uncle gave me the go-ahead."

"Uncle is still up there?"

"Yes, I don't think he'll be leaving anytime soon, the poor guy," Amaya said, sighing.

"I see. Well, here you go. Sorry, I wasn't able to give you coffee earlier," Otori apologized, handing Amaya the fruit juice bottle.

"Thank you very much," Amaya said happily. "And don't worry about it. After all, it wasn't your fault." At this, Amaya shot a secretive glare my way.

 _What—?_ I thought, startled at her annoyed expression and bit my lip, irritation flaring through me. _It may have been my fault, but maybe if a certain_ someone _had simply done their job, I wouldn't be covered in first degree burns, and you would have your one o'clock joe! This woman is really—_

"Gracie-san?" Otori called, snapping me out of my ranting thoughts. I saw that Amaya had gone, and it was just Otori and I alone in the lobby.

"O-oh, sorry," I apologized.

"Everything okay? You looked… ticked there," Otori observed, studying me questioningly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Come on, let's go," I said, walking toward the elevator.

* * *

"Well, if it isn't my favorite nephew!" Mr. Otori bellowed, laughing deeply.

 _Uuuugh, this guy and his deep vocals!_ I thought, wincing.

"I'm your only nephew, Uncle," Otori said, laughing lightly.

"Right, right. And you! I remember you!" Mr. Otori said, fixing his gaze on me. "How was your first day?"

"It was… interesting," I answered truthfully. "But, actually, Mr. Otori, that's what I wanted to speak with you about."

"And here I thought it was just a friendly visit," Mr. Otori said, actually looking disappointed. "Oh, is that juice for me, Chotaro?" Mr. Otori asked, pointing at the bottle in his nephew's hand.

"Yeah," Otori replied, handing it to him. "It's to make up for not bringing you coffee."

"I wondered what happened to you. Thank you!" Mr. Otori unscrewed the cap, gulping down the drink. "Ah, refreshing, refreshing!"

"Mr. Otori, I have to ask that you switch me to a lower class," I said. "You and I both know I am not S class material!"

"Don't say that, dear! _Everyone_ is S class material! You just have to dig deep down and find it in you, is all!" Mr. Otori replied, moving to his desk.

"That's all well and good, but I really don't think I'm cut out for it. I mean, I only got that perfect score by pure luck! I wasn't even trying to pass the stupid test. I was trying to fail it!"

Mr. Otori guffawed, tilting his head back and setting his drink down. "I know! That's so funny! Did you hear that, Chotaro? This girl tried to fail the test, and, instead, she got the perfect score! I tell you, that's a special kind of genius."

"No, it's not!" I protested. "Come on, you can't seriously keep me in that class, can you?"

"Okay, okay, I hear you, I hear you," Mr. Otori said, sitting at his desk. His cheery expression melted into a somber one as he studied me. "I understand what you're saying, truly I do. But I'm afraid I can't help you."

"What?! Why?!"

"You see, we have a strict system here. Upon your entrance into the school, you take an exam to determine your placement in the following classes: S, A, B, C, and D. Once you've been placed in a class, you are stuck there until the next school year. At the end of every year, students take another placement exam. Depending on how well you do, you either advance into the next class, remain where you are or are moved to a lower class. At no other time can one switch classes."

"But what if I were to fail because, I can assure, if I stay in that class any longer I'll—"

"Be that as it may, you must remain in the class, dear."

"That, that, that… ugh!" I groaned in frustration, scowling. "That isn't fair! Compared to all those S class students, I'm an idiot! There's just no way I can keep up with them!"

"So, quit trying to keep up with them and focus on yourself," Mr. Otori spoke, his expression stern. "As I've said before, everyone is S class material. You just have to find it in yourself to make it work."

I glared at guy for a long moment before exhaling slowly and crossing my arms, lowering my gaze to the floor. "Alright, fine. I understand."

Mr. Otori beamed, his cheery expression returning. "Glad to hear it! I wish you luck, friend!"

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, marching toward the door.

"See you, Uncle," Otori said, bowing.

"Mm-hm, oh, Chotaro," Mr. Otori called before his nephew could leave. "You and that girl seem awfully chummy. She wouldn't happen to be the reason you didn't make it earlier?" Mr. Otori asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Otori's face turned slightly pink. "N-no! I mean, yes, but it's not what you—"

"Oh-ho! It's about time! It's about time! Just wait till your mother hears this. She'll be so happy!"

"No, Uncle! I'm telling you, she's just a friend!" Otori tried explaining.

"You know, I had plenty 'friends' myself at your age, and may I say—"

"I-I've got to be going now! See you!" Otori quickly made a beeline for the door, shutting it behind him.

"Hmph, well _that_ was rude."

* * *

 


	7. Amazing Treat

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Amazing Treat**

"Well, that wasn't helpful at all," I groaned as Otori and I waited for the bus to take us to the dorms.

"I'm sorry, Gracie-san," Otori apologized.

"Why are you sorry? You weren't the one who forced me to come to this school against my will," I spoke bitterly, glaring up at the evening sky.

The sun was slowly setting, casting a warm, red-orange glow.

"Your parents forced you? Then, is that why you tried failing the test?" Otori asked.

"Yes," I answered, sighing heavily.

There was a long pause before Otori spoke. "Maybe it's fate?"

"Huh?"

"Fate. Maybe there's a reason you're here?" he wondered, gazing thoughtfully at the sky. "You tried failing the test and ended up passing it with a perfect score. There are students here who break their backs trying to get into S class and end up falling short."

Immediately, Shishido's furious expression flashed in my mind, and I felt a pang of guilt. "Yeah…."

"Perhaps there's a purpose you need to fulfill while you're here," Otori mused.

_A purpose, huh?_ As I contemplated on Otori's theory, my stomach growled louder than it had earlier. "Stupid… stomach," I muttered, clutching my stomach and feeling my face heat up.

"That's right. You haven't eaten yet. We should stop by the café," Otori suggested.

I shook my head. "No, I can't. I've wasted too much time already. I have to start on my homework and then start studying for tomorrow's test—"

"Gracie-san, it's not healthy to work hard on an empty stomach," Otori advised me.

"I know that, but—!"

"Fine, not the café. How about Oishii's?"

"Oishii…?"

"Yeah, it's a new café. It debuted last year, and it's actually a pretty cool place. Unlike the cafeteria, you can take your food on the go," Otori explained.

"Really? But, wait, there's no way I can afford it, I'm sure," I said.

"It'll be my treat," Otori offered, smiling.

"Otori-senpai, you've already been too kind with buying me these things," I said, lifting up the plastic bag. "I wouldn't feel all that good if you treated me to an expensive meal."

"But it's not expensive. Plus, I'll feel better if you ate _something_."

"I… I guess," I accepted, reluctantly. "But I'll figure out a way to return the favor," I promised.

"Okay, but it's not necessary," Otori said, smiling widely and looking relieved.

* * *

"Wow, this place is impressive!" I commented when Otori and I entered the fancy café.

The place was pretty packed with students. Waitresses were dressed in the cutest maid uniforms I had ever seen, and the waiters wore black dress pants, black vests with white shirts and blue ties. The staff hurried about the place, taking and delivering orders. There were four registers, a long line at each one. We got in the shortest one, and I studied the menu that was situated behind the registers, flinching at the exorbitant prices.

_Just like I thought, I knew this place would be super expensive,_ I thought. A small drink was 1,500 yen!

"Did you see anything you like, Gracie-san?" Otori asked.

"Uh, yeah, there are so many choices!" I remarked. "They even have some American selections!"

"Yeah, the diverse menu is one of the main reasons this place is pretty popular," Otori stated.

It was finally our turn. "That will be ¥15,329," the woman told us once we finished ordering.

_Fi-fi-fi-fifteen thousand?!_ I couldn't help gawking as Otori handed the cashier the money.

"Keep the change," he said, smiling.

"Thank you very much!" the woman replied happily, bowing.

We moved to the pick-up area and waited for our orders.

"Thanks again for treating, Otori-senpai," I said, smiling gratefully. "I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem," Otori replied. He glanced at my bandaged arms. "How are your arms?"

"The pain is still there, but it's not so bad," I answered. Otori looked so remorseful that I was feeling bad that he was feeling so bad. "I keep telling you Otori-senpai, you were not at fault. After all, it was me who bumped into you," I reminded him.

"Yeah, I know, but I should have been more careful. I was carrying hot coffee, I should have been more watchful."

"Well, beating yourself up won't make my arms heal any faster, so get over it already," I said, lightly punching him in the arm. "Listen, I'm heading for the bathroom. Do you know where they are?"

"Yes, it's in the far back," Otori said and told me the bathroom's location.

"Thanks, I'll be back!" I said, running off in the direction of bathroom.

I found the bathrooms and entered inside the girl's room. The bathroom was so fancy and glamorous, one would almost forget it was a bathroom. _Flush!_ A slender girl with long, brown pigtails stepped out of one of the stalls and went to the sinks.

_Oh, I remember her,_ I thought, going to one of the stalls. _She was at the bus stop this morning._

I entered the stall and locked it. Once I finished, I emerged from the stalls and went to the sinks. The girl had left, leaving me alone in the bathroom. After I washed my hands, I grabbed the paper towels and dried off my hands. When I went to dump the towels in the trash, something on the ground caught my eye.

It was a small silver ring with a yellow orb on top. I bent low and picked it up, examining it. Immediately, I could tell the ring was something one would find as a prize in her cereal box. The 'silver' was clearly spray painted and the yellow orb was a plastic ball, representing a tennis ball. Although the ring was extremely cheap-looking, it was also pretty cute.

I straightened and rinsed the ring in the sink, grabbing a paper towel and drying the ring off before slipping it on my right middle finger. I admired the ring and liked how it looked on my hand. An image of a waiting Otori flashed through my mind, causing me to gasp in remembrance.

"Ah, crap, that's right!" I said, throwing open the door and running out of the bathroom.

I ran through the dining area when I heard someone shout, "Look out!" to my left.

"Huh?" I said, immediately stopping and turning to the sound. BAM! Someone slammed into me, knocking me back, hard, to the ground. Ice cold liquid splashed all over me, chilling me to the bone. _"Cold!"_ I squealed.

"Oh, crap! I'm so sorry!" the person apologized.

I glanced up at the person and stiffened. It was the same guy who had knocked me down from this morning!

"You again!" I growled.

"Huh? Me again? Did we meet before?" the guy asked, clueless.

"Yes, we did!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. I stabbed the guy in the chest with my finger and glared up at him. "This morning you nearly killed me when you ran into me!"

The guy blinked, studying me for a moment before his eyes lit up with remembrance. "Ah, right, now I remember." The guy rubbed the back of his head and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, sorry, but it's nothing that can't be washed out," he said.

"You're right, what am I getting so worked up over? It's not like it'll stain," I agreed, pinching my shirt and peeling it off my soaked skin. "Not!" I shouted. "What were you doing running in a crowded place while carrying drinks anyway?! That's so careless, it's not even funny!"

The guy now had an annoyed look on his face, and he sighed heavily. "I apologized, didn't I? Geez, what else do you want me to do?"

_This guy!_ I thought, clenching my fists and feeling my anger swell to dangerous levels.

I spied a small cup of coffee on one of the nearby tables and could tell the drink was piping hot because of the visible wisps of smoke that arose from the brown liquid. Ooh, I was oh, so, tempted to snatch the cup and throw it in the guy's face, and if my anger didn't subside soon, that's exactly what was going to happen.

"Evans-san?" a familiar voice called, snapping me back to my senses.

Shiraishi and another fellow, approached us from behind the rude guy. I blinked, my anger gradually diminishing in intensity as Shiraishi approached us.

_Let's see… Shiraishi-san, right?_ I tried remembering. "Shiraishi-san, hello," I greeted.

"We heard the noise from the other side of the café," the guy standing beside Shiraishi said. He was pretty tall with spiky brown hair and calm, black eyes. He turned to Shiraishi and sighed. "Didn't I say we shouldn't have let him get our things?"

"Hey, it's not my fault if people get in my way," the guy protested.

"Who got in whose way?" I snapped, scowling at him. "You shouldn't have been running while carrying drinks in the first place!"

"And you shouldn't have stopped so suddenly! Plus, I said 'look out!'"

"Oh, so now I'm at fault because I didn't heed that so called warning?!"

"You're the one drenched in iced coffee. You tell me!"

At that moment, a waiter passed by with a tray of food. I spotted a bowl filled with crème puffs and reached out, swiping one.

Before the waiter could even protest, I heaved the treat straight at the guy's face. There were only a few inches between us, and I had reacted so quickly so it should have been an easy bullseye. But the guy reacted even faster. He swiftly ducked, the crème puff sailing over his head and nailing Shiraishi in the face instead. The treat exploded against Shiraishi's forehead with pink filling clinging to his silver-brown hair and creeping down his face.

I stood there, frozen, as the puffy treat plopped to the ground, spraying up some more of the pink filling and splattering onto Shiraishi's pants. I gasped, covering my mouth with both hands and widening my eyes in complete horror.

"I'm so very sorry!" I apologized, bowing deeply and straightening myself. "I'll get some paper towels!"

"No, it's fine," Shiraishi replied, wiping at the filling on his forehead. He licked his fingertips and appeared thoughtful. "The filling isn't bad, though it's a bit too sweet."

"I…." I started but stopped when the spiky-haired guy grabbed the other guy's head and forced him to bow to me.

"Well, Kenya? It's because of you this all happened. Hurry and apologize properly!" the spiky-haired guy commanded.

"Okay, okay!" Kenya relented, shoving the guy's hand away and glaring at him. He fixed his gaze on me but then sighed, his expression softening. "Although I've already apologized, I'm sorry," he muttered, glancing sideways.

The spiky-haired guy whacked Kenya in the head. "I said do it properly!"

"Ouch! Okay, already!" Kenya snapped. He bowed. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you."

"It's fine now," I said, not really paying any attention to the guy. I studied Shiraishi with a concerned and apologetic look. "Shiraishi-san, I'm really sorry."

Shiraishi smiled kindly at me. "Don't worry about it. It's just filling, but more importantly, I'd hurry and wash those stains out before they become permanent," Shiraishi advised seriously, referring to my soiled uniform.

"Ah, you're right!" I agreed, staring down at the huge brown blotches on the former white shirt. _And this was a loan, too,_ I thought, depressed.

"Gracie-san, there you are!" Otori called from behind me. I turned around to see him carrying two bags with a worried expression. His eyes widened at the sight of my ruined uniform. "Your uniform! What happened?"

"Oh, it's Otori," the spiky-haired guy remarked and waved. "It's been a while."

Otori shifted his gaze to the guy. "Oh, Koishikawa-senpai, hello," Otori greeted. "Hello, Shiraishi-senpai, Kenya-senpai."

"Yo," Kenya returned, giving a small wave while Shiraishi nodded.

"What happened?" Otori asked, noticing Shiraishi's soiled hair and uniform and returning his gaze on my own ruined uniform.

"He happened," Koishikawa, Shiraishi and I said, simultaneously pointing at Kenya.

"H-hey!" Kenya protested.

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Otori-senpai," I apologized, bowing. "We can leave now." I turned back to Shiraishi. "Again, I'm—"

"—Sorry, yes, I know," Shiraishi interrupted. "Don't worry about it. Just hurry and get those stains out."

"Right! Then, I'll see you later," I said, bowing again before leaving.

Otori bid the guys goodbye and followed after me. I ignored the stares from the students and staff as we made our way to the exit. Night had fallen, but streetlamps illuminated the campus.

"Gracie-san, what happened?" Otori asked, falling into step beside me. "The uniform's ruined even though it was a replacement for the last one." I relayed to Otori all that happened, and Otori sighed. "Yeah, Kenya-senpai tends to do that a lot."

"What, be rude?" I snorted.

"No, he's always rushing about even when there's no reason for him to be in a hurry," Otori replied.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, but it probably has to do with him being on the track team," Otori mused.

"Track team?" I repeated.

"Yeah, Kenya-senpai is the captain of the team as well as the fastest," Otori said.

"Eh, really?" This newfound information was pretty intriguing. I could definitely see how Kenya could be captain. I had never seen anyone move as quickly as him. "That's pretty cool," I commented, smiling.

The bus came and picked us up and stopped at Meiyo Hall, the boys' dorm.

"See you, Gracie-san. Make sure you don't overdo it," Otori said, waving goodbye as he stepped off the bus.

"I'll be sure not to! Bye, Otori-senpai, and thanks for everything!" I called after him.

The doors shut closed and the bus rumbled down the asphalt path. I was the only passenger on the bus. I glanced out the window, watching as the scenery whizzed by. Five minutes later, the bus stopped in front of Jiyu Hall, the girls' dorm, and I thanked the bus driver, bidding him goodbye as I exited the bus.


	8. Amazing Alternative Motive

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Amazing Ulterior Motive**

"Gracie, there you are! What happened? I didn't see you at lunch," An said, when I entered the room. She was lying in bed, exchanging her uniform for a light pink short sleeved shirt and gray sweatpants, reading a magazine. She sat up, her eyes widening. "Hey, your arms and uniform! What happened?"

I was really getting sick of that question. "I got coffee spilled on me," I answered, trudging to my side of the room and throwing the plastic bag, takeout bag and backpack on the bed.

"Coffee?!" An repeated, jumping out of bed and rushing over to me. She grabbed both of my bandaged arms and studied them in concern. "Oh, no, how did that happen?"

"I bumped into someone carrying coffee. It was my fault," I answered.

An released my arms. "Is that why you didn't show up for lunch?"

"Um, no, I actually forgot that we were supposed to meet up for lunch. I was preoccupied with something else," I explained.

"Like what?" An asked, curious.

"I wanted to get a problem of mine sorted out, but…." I sighed, irritation and frustration spiking through me when I remembered my conversation with Mr. Otori. "Apparently it's impossible to do."

"What problem is that?"

"I'm in the wrong class," I answered simply.

"Well, what class are you supposed to be in?" An was studying me so intently, I looked anywhere but her face.

"Well, um, I believe I should be in D class," I replied.

" _D class?"_ An repeated, gaping. "No way! That class is, like, for idiots! Are you really supposed to be in that class?"

I sighed heavily, sitting on my bed and gazing forlornly at my roommate. "Yes. Yes, I am."

"What was your score on the placement exam?" An questioned.

"A perfect score," I mumbled.

"Hmm? I couldn't hear you," An said.

"I got the perfect score," I spoke loudly, flopping back on the bed.

" _Eh?!"_ An shrieked. Her shocked expression popped in my view. "You're serious?! You got a perfect score?! Then, that means you're…."

"In S class. Yup," I finished.

"But how are you in the wrong class? If you got the perfect score, then you definitely belong in S class." Before I could reply, An continued. "Wow, but seriously, a perfect score? That test was _so_ difficult. I just barely got into B class."

"I tried failing the test and ended up passing it with flying colors. _That's_ why I don't belong in S class because the material and pace is just far too advanced for me. I'm supposed to complete one hundred problems, while showing work, and study for a test on three chapters all due tomorrow. I can't do that! No normal human being can do that…."

"I… I see."

I sat up, glaring at a spot on the floor. "That's why I needed to get switched into a lower class before my grade suffered. But, no, this stupid school has a stupid system which makes no stupid sense. What a mess."

"Yeah, that's certainly troubling. Wow, to think you got a perfect score by pure luck. I guess there is such a thing?" An mused, studying the ceiling. She stared back down at my glum expression and smiled sympathetically. "Chin up," she said, lightly flicking my chin. "I'm sure you can do it. Just do your best!"

In spite of myself, I smiled. "Thanks for the support. Alright, time to get started!" I declared, hopping to my feet. A low growl filled the room, and I covered my stomach, smiling sheepishly at An. "I told you we all have our embarrassing moments."

An giggled. "That's what happens when you skip lunch."

"Yeah, yeah. I did get food though," I said, grabbing my takeout and pulling out a bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwich wrapped in black and blue foil.

"Isn't that breakfast food?" An asked, staring at me weirdly.

"It sure is. I love eating breakfast food at times other than breakfast. It's not even breakfast food to me because I'll eat it at any time of the day," I said. "Want a bite?"

"No, I just ate dinner," An declined.

An returned to her side of the room, and I finished up my sandwich and decided to start on my homework and study for tomorrow's test.

 _Alright, let's do this!_ I thought, taking out Yukimura's and my notebooks and sitting at my desk, opening the books. "Nice, Yukimura's notes are so detailed. This will help me with those equations I'm having trouble with…." I started working on the problems, occasionally getting frustrated with the more complicated ones. I was so into my work that I hadn't noticed An had left the room until I finally finished. "Alright, and it only took me… three hours! Oh, come on!" I groaned, slamming my notebook closed. It was now eleven o'clock. I pulled out my math textbook, opening it to the first chapter when my cell phone rang. I grabbed it from my backpack and glanced at the caller ID. "Yasumi!" I greeted happily.

"Gracie, how was your first day?" My best friend asked.

"Horrible," I replied.

"Join the club, sister," Yasumi mumbled bitterly.

"Oh, no, what happened?" I asked, concerned.

Yasumi relayed to me her terrible first day. "That Ami, I swear she's jealous of me," Yasumi said, scowling.

"Jealous of you? How do you figure that?"

"Well, why else would she have the whole class turn on me?!"

"She didn't get the whole class to turn on you." Yasumi tended to have a way of exaggerating.

"Okay, fine, so it wasn't the whole class, but she embarrassed me in front of Yuki-sama!"

"Wait, you're in the same class as Yuki?!" Kimura Yuki had been Yasumi's crush since elementary years.

"Yes, I know! It's about time, right? And, guess what, he actually came up and _spoke_ to me!"

"Really? That's great!"

"I know, I'm psyched!" Yasumi squealed.

"What did he talk to you about?" I questioned.

"He asked me… for a pencil! I nearly fainted!"

There was a long pause before I spoke. "That's it? A pencil? You nearly fainted because he asked you for a _pencil?_ "

"Well, he could have easily asked anyone else, but, no, he asked me!"

"I guess that does count for something."

"So, what about you? Why was your first day horrible?" Yasumi asked. I recounted the day's unfortunate events. "I'm so sorry, Gracie! But it sounds to me like you're getting along fine in terms of making friends and meeting potential mates."

"Huh? _Mates?!_ What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"This Otori guy sounds like he may have a thing for you," Yasumi singsong.

"He doesn't," I flatly denied. "He was just being nice because he felt bad."

"Sounds to me like he was trying to impress."

"You tend to read too much into things. Like the thing with your crush asking you for a _pencil_."

"Oh, whatever! He totally could have asked Ami or some other cute girl, but he didn't. He asked _me_ because he likes me. I'm sure of it," Yasumi spoke confidently. The guy probably did like Yasumi, I wasn't going to argue that; but I did know Yasumi tended to misread people's actions. "So, tell me, have you fallen in love with anyone yet?" Yasumi asked.

"Oh, stop," I replied, rolling my eyes. "I have run into some cute guys but," I shook my head, "there's no way I'm getting involved with any guy here."

"Aw." I could picture Yasumi's pouting face and giggled. "But why not? This is your chance to snag yourself a hot, rich guy and be set for life!"

"It's because the guys here are rich that I'm not getting involved."

"I don't get you. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole reason your parents wanted you to go to that school was so you could find a rich suitor."

I could perfectly imagine Yasumi raising her eyebrows suggestively with an impish grin on her face.

"Yasumi, knock it off!" I lightly scolded, earning a laugh from her. "No way would that be the reason my parents sent me here."

Right?

"Oookay," she singsong. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, dearie. Ugh, I gotta go. Mom, is on me _again_ about the dishes. G'night!"

"Goodnight," I replied, hanging up and placing the phone on the bedside table with a sigh.

" _You know, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole reason your parents wanted you to go to that school was so you could find a rich suitor,"_ Yasumi's voice echoed through my head.

 _Urgh, dang it, Yasumi,_ I thought. When I really thought about it, it didn't sound all that far-fetched. My parents claimed it was so I could get a better education, but I would not doubt an ulterior motive. "No, no, I can't dwell on this right now. I have that test tomorrow," I muttered and resumed studying.


	9. Amazing Determination

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Amazing Determination**

I got up extra early in the morning so I could drop off the uniform Kanzaki lent me.

"Thank you again for the uniform, Kanzaki-san," I said, bowing to the school nurse.

"It's no problem," Kanzaki replied, putting the uniform in one of the drawers. She walked over to me and examined my arms. I had removed the bandages, and my arms looked pretty okay to me. "It looks like you're healing nicely," Kanzaki remarked.

"Yes, the aloe vera really helps with the pain," I said.

Kanzaki beamed. "I'm really glad to hear that."

I nodded, smiling widely. "Yes, thank you again for your help. See you," I said, waving and leaving the room.

I caught the bus to the main building and entered my classroom. There was forty minutes left until class started so the room was almost empty with only five students. I went to my seat and took out Yukimura's notes and my textbook. I had stayed up until three in the morning studying for today's test. I had read chapters one and two but didn't make it to three because I was trying to understand the problems in two. I sighed heavily and shook my head. I still wasn't getting it. I used the free time to finish up the last minute studying. I was so engrossed in the book that I didn't notice class had started and Izumi-sensei was doing roll call.

"Evans-san? Evans-san?" Izumi's annoyed voice penetrated my concentration. I blinked, looking up from the book to see Izumi staring at me in annoyance. "I appreciate you working hard but please pay attention," she spoke firmly.

My face flushed red as I closed my book. "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry."

Izumi finished roll call and started the lesson. I had to fight to keep my eyes open during Izumi's lecture, but it was getting tougher as time passed. Finally, it was lunch time.

_Oh, thank God, I made it to lunch. I thought I was going to pass out for sure,_ I thought, sighing in relief. I glanced down at my notebook and my left eye twitched. My notebook… was completely empty! _Crap! I was trying so hard not to fall asleep that I didn't take any notes!_ I banged my head on the desk and exhaled loudly.

"Everything alright, Evans-san?" someone asked me.

I turned my head to see Shiraishi staring down at me with a concerned expression. I straightened in my seat and stared forlornly at my empty notebook.

"I didn't take any notes," I mumbled.

"Notes?" Shiraishi repeated.

"Yeah," I sighed, "I was trying so hard not to fall asleep that I failed to take any notes." I started mumbling to myself. "Now what am I going to do? I can't keep asking people for their notes. That's just being a nuisance. This is such a mess. Grumble, grumble, grumble…." Shiraishi reached out and grabbed my notebook and pen and sat in the desk beside me. "Hm? Shiraishi-san, what are you…?" I stopped when Shiraishi started writing in my notebook at an incredible pace. _W… what the?!_

I gaped, unable to speak, as Shiraishi filled the page. He quickly flipped to the next page and started writing on that one. In five minutes, the guy filled four pages.

"Ah… ecstasy," Shiraishi murmured, examining the pages.

_No way… don't tell me he actually…?!_

Shiraishi held out to me the notebook with the pen on top. "Here you go."

I couldn't speak. I just accepted the notebook and read over the notes. Even though the guy wrote at an impossible pace, the penmanship was neat and clear.

"I knew it," I muttered, shifting my gaze to Shiraishi. "I knew you had perfect memory."

"Perfect memory?" Shiraishi repeated, blinking in confusion.

"Yeah, you were able to recall Izumi-sensei's words so easily," I explained. "Even yesterday I asked to borrow your notes and you said you didn't take any."

"Yes, that's true," Shiraishi replied. "But I wouldn't say I have perfect memory. I'm just able to remember all that I've heard and seen, that's all."

_That's exactly what I would call perfect memory,_ I thought, sweat dropping. "Well, it's amazing all the same! Thank you very much, Shiraishi-san!" I said, grinning. "This helps a lot!"

"It's no problem," Shiraishi replied, standing to his feet and heading for the door. He looked back at me. "Aren't you going to lunch?" he asked.

"No, I plan on studying some more for the test," I replied.

Shiraishi frowned. "It's good that you're serious with your studies, but you shouldn't overdo it. It's not good to work on an empty stomach."

"I'll be fine," I assured, waving dismissively. "You're not the first person to tell me that, but I'll be fine."

"If you say so," Shiraishi said before heading out room.

Before I knew it, lunch had ended and class had resumed and, soon, Izumi was handing out the test.

"Good luck, everyone," Izumi said.

Right. Luck. Because Lord knew I had that on my side. Overall, the test wasn't all that bad. There were some tricky ones, but I felt I did pretty well. I snapped my pencil in half. Yeah, right! This test was beyond difficult—it was straight up impossible to do.

"Alright, time is up," Izumi said, collecting the papers.

I really didn't want to turn my test in. I didn't even get to finish. Glumly, I handed the paper to Izumi and slumped in my seat. Who knows, maybe I'd get another perfect score. I snorted, knowing that was truly impossible since I didn't even complete the test.

* * *

"Alright, class is dismissed. Remember to complete tonight's homework. Good day, everyone." Izumi left the room and students started packing their things.

"How do you think you did?" Shiraishi asked, coming over to me.

"I don't wanna talk about it," I muttered.

"That bad, huh?" Shiraishi said, rubbing the back of his head and looking down at me sympathetically.

"Ugh, it was horrible!" I moaned. "I didn't even finish." I saw Yukimura heading for the door and called out to him.

"Yes?" Yukimura said, looking over at me.

I approached him and gave him his notebook. "Thank you very much for letting me use your notes."

"You're welcome," Yukimura said, smiling warmly at me. "How do you think you did?"

I sighed heavily. "Not so good, I'm afraid."

"I'm sorry to hear that. But don't feel discouraged. You'll do better next time," Yukimura encouraged. He held up his notebook. "Anytime you want to borrow my notes, just let me know. I'll be happy to lend them to you," he told me.

"Really? Thank you very much. I appreciate it!" I said, clasping my hands together and gazing at him with wide, sparkling eyes. "Your notes makes it much easier to understand the subject, so I really do appreciate it."

"I'm glad to hear that my notes are helpful," Yukimura said, smiling. "Well, I'll be seeing you. Later, Shiraishi," Yukimura called to Shiraishi, waving goodbye and leaving.

"Yukimura-san is right," I said, clenching my fists in determination. "Like heck I'm going to let this class beat me! I'll prove I'm S class material even if it kills me!" I vowed. _Since I can't switch out of this class, I'm just going to have to give it my all. Like heck I'm going to let this class ruin my GPA._

"Well, someone's fired up," Shiraishi commented, smiling at me.

"That's right, I am fired up because I refuse to lose to guys like you," I said, crossing my arms and smirking.

Shiraishi blinked and pointed at himself. "Guys like me?"

"Yeah, I'm still reeling over how you were able to reproduce those notes, and at such a fast pace, too!" I hurried past him to my desk and stuffed my textbook and notebook into my backpack, hoisting it on my shoulders and turning back to Shiraishi. "You, Yukimura-san and everyone else in this class are pretty impressive. I gotta prove my worth, too!" I ran past Shiraishi and waved to him. "See you later, Shiraishi-san!"

"Uh, yeah," Shiraishi said, watching as I disappeared out the room. He smiled softly and sighed. "Geez, didn't I say not to overdo it?"


	10. Amazing Discovery

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Amazing Discovery**

The next two weeks were exceptionally brutal. Just as I thought, I had failed the test miserably, but I refused to let it discourage me. In fact, it just made me work that much harder. So, I studied and toiled tirelessly as the teachers relentlessly hit us with assignment after assignment and test after test. Sometimes, I would skip lunch and/or dinner because, if I didn't, there was no way I could complete an assignment or study for a test in time.

I just counted it as one of the many sacrifices I had to take in order to stay on top of my studies (I also had to forgo reading my novels and playing video games *sob*). But thanks to that and my hard work, I was now doing pretty well in class. I was acing tests left and right, and finishing those ridiculously hard assignments with ease. I slammed the physics textbook closed, making a motion to tear it in half. Ha! As if! It'll take me a hundred years before I could even begin to understand what the heck these high-level textbooks are talking about!

I sighed and heavily dropped my head on the textbook and glared at the tiled ground. It was a Friday evening, and instead of chilling with friends or even relaxing in my room, I was in the library, studying for Monday's physics test. I also had to write a ten page book report that was also due on Monday. I swear, these teachers were heartless. It's like they didn't believe students should have lives or even down time.

I glanced at my phone and saw it was four o'clock. I came to the library right after school let out, skipping out on dinner. My stomach rumbled, aching slightly from being denied food for so long, but I ignored it because I had far too much work to do. I pushed aside the physics book and brought my laptop close to me so I could start on my report. I pulled the book from my backpack and flipped through its pages.

It was a three-hundred page book, and I didn't even put a dent in it. I knew it was literally impossible for me to finish the book and complete the report _and_ study for the physics test by Monday, so I just read the beginning, skimmed some parts in the middle and read the ending. Naturally, I was a bit lost, but I did get a vague idea of what the book was about and, to me, that was all that mattered. Also, I had some help from the good ol' internet, which helped me even more.

I started typing, deciding I would use the first three pages to write a _long_ summary of the book.

"Hey," a voice greeted, startling me. "Oops, sorry," Shiraishi apologized, smiling softly.

"No, no, you're fine. I just scare easily," I said, sighing and placing a hand on my heart.

I noticed another guy standing behind Shiraishi. The guy was pretty good-looking, and I liked his hair. It was two-colored tone with the top a silver white and the bottom black. He had soft brown eyes and wore a gentle smile.

"Hello," I greeted, waving.

"Hey," the boy returned.

"This is Saeki Kojiro," Shiraishi introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Saeki-san. I'm Gracie Evans," I said, smiling.

"Oh, Gracie…?" Saeki spoke, his eyes widening slightly.

I stifled a groan, knowing exactly what he was going to say. "Yes, I'm the first-year who got the perfect score and made it to S class."

Saeki smiled sympathetically. "It seems you're used to such reactions?"

"Yes," I replied, sighing. "It's definitely the first thing people do when I tell them my name."

Honestly, I didn't even know how people heard about the first year getting into S class. It seemed people knew from the very beginning since those kids, at the bus stop, were talking about it on the first day of school. Where they got the information from, I didn't know because I sure as heck didn't say anything. An image of a guffawing Mr. Otori flashed through my mind, and I had to wonder….

"Still, it's no easy feat to enter S class your first year. You must be quite an intelligent woman, Gracie-chan," Saeki complimented.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks and averted my gaze to the side. "Erm, not really…." I spoke so quietly the guys didn't hear me.

"I tested into S class my second year, but it was too tough for me after all," Saeki said, laughing.

"Huh?" I asked, snapping my gaze to him.

"Oh, yeah, that's right," Shiraishi muttered, glanced up as his eyes widened in remembrance. He looked over at Saeki. "I forgot about that. You failed out of the class, right?"

Saeki sweat dropped, and laughed, rubbing his head and looking sheepish. "Ouch, Shiraishi. So blunt."

Shiraishi flinched and smiled apologetically. "Ah, right, sorry."

"No, no, it's the harsh truth," Saeki said, sighing.

"Wait, what do you mean failed _out_?" I asked.

"Hmm? Exactly what it sounds like; I couldn't keep up with the excessive work load and the school had me dropped to C class, but then I was able to work my way up to A class." Saeki smiled. "The workload is still a bit much, but it's doable."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," I said. I shook my head and franticly waved my hands in front of me as I was trying to understand this newfound information. "Are you actually telling me that you switched classes _during_ the school year and not after?"

"Yeah, I switched to C class a month after school started and moved up to A class three months after that," Saeki said.

"Are you alright, Evans-san?" Shiraishi asked, studying me in concern.

I didn't realize it, but my entire body had gone rigid as boiling anger flooded through me. My cheeks were painted a dark pink, and I was clenching my teeth and fists while glowering at a spot on the ground. Mr. Otori lied to me! He said the stupid system was strict, and the only way I could change classes was by taking a placement exam at the end of the school year! That lying, pencil mustache-having, ugly pin-striped suit wearing—

"Evans-san?"

Shiraishi's voice pulled me out of my inner ranting and brought me back to reality. I blinked when I saw Shiraishi and Saeki gazing at me with apprehension and took note they were standing much farther from me than before. I realized I had one fist wrapped around the other fist, and my hands were white from being clasped so tightly. I unclasped my hands, my face heating up from embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry," I stuttered, quickly grabbing my things and shoving them in my backpack. "I just realized there's something I have to do, like, now," I said, shutting my laptop closed and stuffing it in my bag. I zipped the bag up and hoisted it on my shoulder and stood to my feet.

"Uh, okay," Shiraishi said, stepping out of the way so I could get by. "Is everything alright? You seemed super tense."

"Tense? Pissed is more like it," Saeki remarked.

I scowled. "Yeah, that's because I _am_ pissed. I swear, when I see that, that, that…." I took a breath and exhaled slowly, my expression hardening. "I gotta go," I muttered, stepping forward.

Suddenly, my legs wobbled, and I stumbled forward.

"Watch out!" Shiraishi cried, catching me.

"Are okay?" Saeki asked worriedly, then shook his head. "Dumb question. What happened?"

I pulled away from Shiraishi, inwardly cursing. It was one embarrassing thing after another, I swear!

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," I answered. "I just tripped, is all."

"It didn't look that way to me," Shiraishi replied, narrowing his eyes at me.

I averted my gaze and waved my hand dismissively. "I'm telling you, I tripped. I'm clumsy that way. Thanks for catching me, Shiraishi-san," I said, bowing, "I really must be going. I'll see you later, and it was nice meeting you, Saeki-san!" I said, hurrying past the two of them before any of them could respond. _Well, that was weird,_ I thought, leaving the library. _My legs felt really weak for a second. I wonder—_ At that moment, my vision blurred, and I started feeling lightheaded. "H-huh?" I spoke weakly, my legs feeling wobbly again.

Colorful dots danced in my vision, and the world tilted sideways. It took a moment before I realized I was falling sideways. I blacked out before feeling myself hit the ground.


	11. Amazing Decision

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Amazing Decision**

I woke to find myself in a familiar setting. _Huh? What am I doing in the nurse's office?_ I wondered. I was lying on the bed and looked around the room, seeing a blue curtain divide the room. I heard several voices coming from the other side of the curtain and watched as the curtain was pulled aside, revealing Kanzaki. "Nurse Kanzaki," I greeted.

Kanzaki smiled warmly at me. "Glad to see you're awake," she said.

"Um, yeah, what happened?" I asked.

"You passed out," Shiraishi said, appearing from behind Kanzaki. He stared down at me, his expression concerned. "I knew something was strange with you, so Saeki and I followed you out and saw you passed out on the ground."

My face burned a bright red, and I averted my gaze to the side.

"You passed out because of low blood pressure," Kanzaki informed me.

She went over to the drawers and brought out a blood pressure device, walking back over to me.

"Low blood pressure?" I repeated, sitting up.

"Yes," Kanzaki confirmed, wrapping the cuff around my right arm. She pressed the start button, and the cuff started its job of squeezing the life out of my arm. "Are you taking any medications?"

"No," I answered.

"What did you eat today?"

"Um…."

I _really_ didn't want to answer that, considering all I ate for breakfast was a chocolate chip granola bar, an apple for lunch, and nothing for dinner. I especially didn't want to answer with Shiraishi standing there with his concerned expression. Kanzaki glanced at Shiraishi and back at me, a tiny smile playing at her lips.

"Kuranosuke-kun, do you mind getting Evans-san a bottle of water?" Kanzaki asked, smiling politely at the boy.

"Yes, of course," Shiraishi spoke dutifully, nodding. He spared one more worried look my way before exiting the room.

"Okay, now that your crush is gone, you are free to speak," Kanzaki said, her smile widening.

"N-no! Shiraishi-san isn't…! I mean, I don't think of him like that," I muttered, feeling my face warm.

"Right, right. So? Have you eaten anything today?" Kanzaki asked, her tone slightly accusing as she studied at me.

I kept my gaze down when I answered. "Yes… a granola bar and an apple…."

Kanzaki stared at me expectantly, clearly waiting to hear more, but when I didn't continue, she sighed heavily.

"Oh, dear, it would seem that might be the cause of the drop in blood pressure," Kanzaki said.

_Beep!_ The sphygmomanometer deflated, restoring blood flow to my arm. Kanzaki studied the screen and nodded.

"Hmm, so your pressure has improved only a little bit. Your numbers are still low, but fortunately it can be fixed," Kanzaki assured, removing the cuff and replacing it in the drawer. "Is there a reason why you ate so little today?" Kanzaki asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to get a jumpstart on the assignments my teachers gave me," I replied.

"Ah, I see. You know, a lot of students end up here because of school," Kanzaki said. "I understand you want to be successful, but I don't believe it's worth sacrificing your health over. You only get one body, and you need it in order to achieve your goals. Keep this in mind the next time you wanna skip a meal, hm?" Kanzaki spoke sternly, but her face held a soft, concerned look—one a mother would wear when lightly scolding her child.

"Yes, ma'am, you're right," I said, keeping my head bowed.

Kanzaki sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make you feel bad or anything. I just want you to keep your health in mind."

"Yes, I understand," I said, lifting my head. "Thank you." I smiled brightly at the woman, who smiled right back.

At that moment, the curtain parted and Shiraishi and Saeki stepped up to the bed with Shiraishi carrying a cold water bottle.

"Sorry for the wait, the vending machine was out of water, so I had to get the water elsewhere," Shiraishi explained, handing me the bottle.

I wasn't really thirsty, but seeing the water droplets roll down the bottle from condensation made me super aware of my dry mouth.

"Thank you, Shiraishi-san. I'm sorry for the trouble," I said, uncapping the bottle and downing the refreshing drink.

Shiraishi waved his bandaged arm dismissively. "Don't worry about it," he said, smiling softly.

"So, how are you feeling, Evans-san?" Saeki asked.

"I'm feeling great now. The water helped," I said, beaming at Shiraishi. "But, Saeki-san, have you been here the entire time?" I asked.

"No, I had to run an important errand," Saeki replied. "But when I got done with it, I came over to check on you. Glad to hear you're doing well, though. You sure scared us when we saw you passed out on the ground."

I cringed at the embarrassing reminder. "Ha, yeah, sorry for worrying you," I said, smiling sheepishly.

"Alright, Evans-san, you are free to go," Kanzaki told me. "All you have to do is eat a nice meal and you'll be as good as new! And to avoid another fainting episode, make sure you stay hydrated and eat well, okay?" Kanzaki advised.

"Yes, ma'am!" I said, jumping out of bed. I bowed to her. "Thank you again for taking care of me!"

"Yes, thank you, Kanzaki-san," Shiraishi said, bowing slightly to the nurse.

"It's no problem. It is my job, after all," Kanzaki said. "I suggest you eat a hearty meal right away, though, Evans-san."

"Okay, I'll do that," I said.

"See you," Saeki said, waving as he, Shiraishi and I left the room.

* * *

After we left the infirmary, we hopped on the bus and rode to the café. Once we got our meal, we sat at an empty table.

"Thanks for keeping me company, guys," I said, smiling graciously.

"Sure thing," Saeki replied with a bright smile. "I wanted to ask before the whole fainting scare, but how are your studies coming along? It's still pretty cool that you're in S class."

Ugh. Just the mention of that stupid class was enough to make me lose my appetite. I was painfully reminded of how my visit to the infirmary hugely set me back. I still had a ten page book report to work on as well as a physics test to study for. Just thinking about the workload caused the dizzying and lightheaded sensations to return. I put my fork down and forced a smile on my face.

"Um, it could definitely be better," I replied, grabbing my juice and downing it.

"Are there any subjects in particular you're struggling with?" Saeki asked.

_Yup. All of them,_ I answered, stifling a depressing sigh. "Just math and science," I fibbed.

Saeki nodded, his expression sympathetic. "Yeah, I hear that. It was actually math that did me in."

Hey, wait, that reminded me! At the library, Saeki told me about him switching classes in the same year even though that lying, son of a jerk that is Mr. Otori told me something completely different. Maybe if I confronted Mr. Otori about it, there was a chance I could switch classes.

_Or maybe I could just fail all my assignments and tests, and then they would have no choice_ but _to switch me out._

My lips curled into a secretive smirk at the idea. I was already doing so horribly in class, it wouldn't take much to fail out.

"So, what do you plan on doing after this, Evans-san?" Shiraishi asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I smiled widely at the question because I knew _exactly_ what I was going to do. "Sleep."

Shiraishi blinked, seemingly caught off guard by my response. "Sleep?"

"Sleep," I affirmed. "Then, I'll probably catch up on some of my reading," I said, inwardly squealing at the thought of being able to read my novels again. "Then, I'll probably head over to the student center and check out the arcade. Hang out there for a few hours. And, then, come back to the café for a late meal and head off to bed."

It was official. I was totally going to allow myself to flunk out of S class. This meant I no longer had to worry about keeping up with the others or staying up all night studying or breaking my back trying to complete an impossibly difficult assignment.

"That's… interesting," Shiraishi remarked, regarding me curiously. "I expected you to say you were planning on using the entire day to work on the book report and study for physics."

"Ah, yes, I _was_ planning on doing that, but I've decided to give myself a little break. I would say I'm deserving of that, wouldn't you?" I asked, resuming eating.

Now, that I figured out a way to escape that horrible S class, my appetite had returned.

Shiraishi smiled. "Yes, you do. I'm glad you're finally taking it easy. The visit to the nurse must have made you realize not to push yourself too much."

"Yup. That's right," I lied, averting my gaze and eating my shrimp.

"I really do admire your attitude, though, Evans-san," Shiraishi said.

I stopped eating, the fork stopped midway in my mouth. "My attitude?" I repeated, lowering the fork.

"Yeah. Even though you're always struggling in the class, you still have this upbeat can-do attitude. Granted, I think it's the same attitude that put you in the infirmary, but still," Shiraishi smiled softly, causing my heartbeat to skip, "it's refreshing to see."

I was reminded of my conversation with Shiraishi two weeks ago and winced.

_"I refuse to lose to guys like you. I gotta prove my worth, too!"_

A strange feeling flowed through me, and it took me a minute to identify it. Guilt? Just what on earth was I feeling guilty about? Sure, it was true that I vowed to give my all, but that was before I found out that I could switch classes, after all. But still, my determined voice echoed throughout my head.

_"Like heck I'm going to let this class beat me! I'll prove I'm S class material even if it kills me!"_

I stifled a scoff and finished my juice. This class really _will_ kill me if I didn't take better care of myself.

"Thanks for that," I muttered.

Aw, man, now I lost my appetite _again_. I covered the plate with my napkin and scooted the chair back.

"Oh, you're finish?" Saeki asked.

Shiraishi frowned. "You only ate the shrimp. You didn't even touch the steak or salad."

"I get full pretty quickly," I lied, hoisting my backpack on my shoulders.

Saeki stared down at his unfinished meal while Shiraishi continued studying me suspiciously.

"Okay, if you say so. Do you still plan on sleeping?" he asked.

The answer was immediate. "Yes," I replied and bowed to them. "Thank you again for taking care of me!" I straightened myself and waved goodbye. "I'll see you later, Shiraishi-san, and hopefully I'll see you around Saeki-san."

"Same here," Saeki replied

"I can walk you back to your dorm," Shiraishi offered.

"No, you're fine. Really, you don't have to worry about me," I assured. "And I mean it this time," I told him when I saw his face become skeptical.

"Well… if you're positive," Shiraishi said, his face unsure.

"I am, but thanks for your concern. See ya!" I called, hurrying towards the exit.

* * *

"Good evening, miss," the bus driver greeted when I boarded the bus.

"Good evening," I returned, walking down the aisle.

The bus was empty save for a lone boy sleeping in the back. He had his arms crossed while slouching back and resting his head against the seat. His short, black messy hair spilled over his forehead and reminded me of seaweed. I noticed he didn't wear the school's uniform, but instead wore a short sleeved yellow shirt with a bold black stripe in the middle and white strips on the sleeves coupled with white shorts. I sat in the middle of the bus and studied the boy. I had never seen the uniform before. The person was probably returning from practice because I noticed soft dirt spots covered the boy's clothes.

_He's also probably exhausted from practice,_ I noted, hearing the faint snores coming from the sleeping boy.

Seeing the slumbering boy just made me all the more excited to hop into my own bed and just sleep the day away. Every night, I would stay up to complete assignments and study for tests, but those days were over. I sighed happily and gazed out the window, watching as streetlamps flickered on and illuminated the campus. Yeesh, it would seem my time spent in the infirmary was a lot longer than I thought. I glanced at my phone and saw it was 6:45. So, it looked like I wouldn't be heading over to the arcade tonight, after all. That was fine. There was always tomorrow.

The bus arrived in front of the boys' dorm. The driver peered down the aisle and called to the sleeping figure.

"Oi! Wake up, boy!"

The boy woke to a start and looked around, disoriented. Seeing the bus arrived at his destination, he picked up his bag and grinned widely at the driver.

"Thanks, ojiisan!" the boy said, rushing out the door.

"How many times do I have to tell you to quit calling me that, brat!" the driver snapped before closing the door.

I couldn't help but giggle, earning an irritated glare from the guy.

"Sorry," I apologized, biting my cheeks to keep from laughing aloud. "I don't think you look that old."

The driver huffed, training his eyes back on the road and resumed driving.

_Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!_

_What on earth is that?_ I wondered.

It sounded like a vibrating phone, and I knew it wasn't mine because my phone had died. The noise came from behind me, and I looked back to where the boy had sat, seeing a glowing square quavering under the seat. I peered back at the driver, who seemed oblivious and made my way toward the item. Upon closer inspection, the quavering, glowing square was the screen of a cell phone. And it was one of those fancy, expensive smartphones, too.

_Uh-oh, that boy must've dropped it._ I glanced at the driver, who was still oblivious, and returned to my seat, pocketing the phone in one of my backpack's pouches. _I'll take it to the lost and found tomorrow,_ I decided.

The bus arrived at the girls' dorm, and I bounded off the bus, bidding the driver goodnight. I entered my room and didn't see any sign of An. I unloaded my backpack, kicked off my shoes, and jumped into bed, literally falling asleep as soon as my face hit the pillow.


	12. Amazing Intervention

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Amazing Intervention**

It was a crisp Saturday morning, and I decided to seize this beautiful day and spend it indoors, playing videogames at the arcade over at the student center. I remembered on move-in day when An and I toured the campus, we had visited the student center, and geez, that sucker was _huge_. I remembered the inside being remarkable with its enormous lounge, modest café and impressive arcade. It was love at first sight when I saw the arcade.

I sighed happily, recalling the image as I sifted through my drawers, looking for a suitable outfit for the day. I pulled out a pair of black shorts and my favorite white T-shirt with a bold black inscription that said, 'I love me, and that's all that matters,' with the cutest black cat at the bottom of it. I checked my alarm clock and saw it was 7:30 and grinned hugely as I quickly got dressed. Usually, I would get up early to work on school assignments, but no more of that! Now, I could just relax. I planned on spending the entire day at the arcade.

I glanced over at An's empty bed, my grin fading. An and I haven't really spent much time with each other lately what with my intense studying and her doing… whatever it was that she did. I knew An was in some sort of sports club, but I completely forgot what club it was. The only time we ever really saw each other was in the late evening when she returned from club activities, and I had my face literally buried in a book, and even then, we would only really exchange greetings before she retired to bed early because of exhaustion.

_Well, now that I'm no longer going to be doing any heavy duty studying, An and I can hang out more._

This made me happy because, honestly, besides An, I had no friends at this school, and with my intense studying schedule, it was literally impossible to maintain relationships, much less meet new people. But, once again, I did not have to worry about that any longer. I grabbed my purse and checked its contents.

_Oh, yeah, that guy's phone,_ I remembered.

I pulled my backpack from under the bed and unzipped one of the pouches, bringing the phone out. I must say, it was an impressive device. It was real tempting to keep it, but I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself without the constant guilt. I threw the phone into my purse and grabbed my room keys off the hook before heading out and locking the door.

The center was a twenty minute walk from the girls' dorm, but because it was such a beautiful day, I opted to walk to the center instead of taking the bus. My cell buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out, glancing at the caller ID.

"Hey, Yasumi!" I greeted happily.

"Nice to hear you're chipper this morning," Yasumi noted. "It seemed like every time I called you, you sounded like a zombie."

"Stress will do that to you," I replied. "But no more zombie speak. I am a new woman."

"Oh? What happened?" I relayed to Yasumi all that happened yesterday. "Whoa, are you alright?" Yasumi asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. It was just low blood pressure."

"Sure, _now_ it's low blood pressure. Next, it will be a heart attack! Don't go croaking on me yet! At least, not until you pay me back the two thousand yen you owe."

"Nice try, but it was two _hundred_ yen."

"Aha! But you admit you owe me money!" Yasumi stated victoriously.

"If you say so, Yasumi," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Okay, so you found out that Otori guy lied. So, now what?"

"Now, I'm just going to chill. Since Otori refused to switch me out of the class, I'll just flunk out of it. Then, they'll have no choice but to switch me out."

"Flunk out of S class, huh? Didn't you say the whole point of wanting to switch classes was so you _wouldn't_ fail? But, now, you want to fail anyway…?" Yasumi asked, confused.

"Yeah, I decided that when I do get switched, I'll just work super hard to get my GPA back on track. And since I'll be in a lower grade class, the workload won't be anywhere near like the S class, so it won't be as strenuous," I explained.

"Oh, I get it… sort of… not really…."

"Well, do you understand this? With me trying to fail out of S class, I no longer have to worry about the inhumane workload the teachers would always be putting on us students."

"Ah, yes, that I _did_ understand. But what happened to that attitude of yours where you said you were going to prove you were S class material?"

"I know, I know, I'm giving in too easily, but honestly, I don't care. I just want to go back to those days where I would wait to study and complete my assignments at the last minute and take three to four hour naps and stay up all night playing videogames or reading my novels and manga and—"

"Okay, _okay!_ I get it!" Yasumi interrupted. "I get it. You just want to lead a typical high school student life, I hear you. Well, good luck with that."

"What's with the skeptical tone?"

"I'm just remembering how well it turned out the last time you decided to fail at something."

"That was a fluke! It's not going to happen again," I assured her. "Especially if I don't actually do the work."

"Sure, sure. We'll just have to wait and see," Yasumi singsong.

"There's no way I could pass this time if I don't actually do the work! Like, seriously, what are the odds—"

" _Please, stop! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"_ a shrill voice cried.

I jumped, the cry startling me. _What on earth?!_ I wondered, placing a hand on my rapidly beating heart. I searched for where the cry could have possibly originated. Although it was such a beautiful day, there was not a single soul outside. I glanced at the time on the phone and saw it was only 8:05. _That would probably explain why it's like a ghost town out here,_ I reasoned.

"Whoa, what was _that?!_ " Yasumi demanded.

"You heard that, too?" I spoke in a whispered tone.

"You'd have to be deaf _not_ to hear that! What's happening?"

"I don't know. I don't even see anyone," I replied.

"Maybe whoever it was is playing around with someone," Yasumi suggested.

"Did that sound like horseplay to you?" I asked skeptically.

"No, but it's a lot better than the alternatives that keep popping into my head…." Yasumi confessed.

"I don't think—"

" _Somebody, help, please! Help—ugh!"_

_Oh, heck no,_ I thought.

The cry sounded like it came from my right. I looked over to see a wide path leading towards Kido Park. Yes, the school had its own park, which I thought was pretty impressive even for a high-tier institution. I cut through the grass and sprinted down the path in the direction of the park.

"Gracie, you're not doing what I think you're doing, are you?" Yasumi asked.

"You mean going to help out a person in trouble?"

"Gracie, you can't! Call the police instead!"

"Sure, I'll call the police, but I'm still going to see if I can help the guy. After all, he might be getting killed!"

"Exactly! If you poke your nose where it shouldn't be, you might get _yourself_ killed, Gracie!"

"I'm hanging up now."

"Gracie, don't you dare—"

_Click!_ I silenced the phone before pocketing it and jogging down the path. Kido Park, named after some bigwig who donated a ton of money to get the park built, had to be the nicest, most well-kept park I had ever seen. I couldn't even spot one gum wrapper on the ground. It was so clean! Trees and well-trimmed bushes lined the pathway, along with streetlamps and flowers sporting the school's colors. Black and blue benches were spaced throughout the area, and there were designated areas where one could play basketball, tennis, football, etc.

This was my first time visiting the park, and I certainly liked what I saw. In fact, I was so caught up with the scenery, I forgot the original purpose of coming here. Then, I heard it. A hideous cackle followed by a loud splash caught my attention. The sounds came from the tennis courts, even though no one was around.

Still, I strode towards the courts and froze when I spotted several broken rackets littering one of the courts. _Splash!_ Was that water? I saw, beyond the courts, there was a line of bushes separating the courts from the other side with a narrow path cutting through the bushes and sloping downward. It lead to a broad area where a tall, white marble fountain stood, spouting glistening, translucent water with five black and blue benches situated around the fountain.

A large boy, looking six feet tall, dunked a much smaller boy in the fountain, and I dove behind the bushes, peeking through the leaves and observing the scene. The boy dunking the poor kid was huge in height and weight, having long black hair tied in a loose ponytail and looking like an older student. Two other large boys stood off to the side while one more sat on one of the benches, smirking and watching his friend dunk the poor guy.

Four other kids, two guys and two girls, stood, terrified, in between the two beefy fellows. I recognized the girls from the bus stop on the first day of school and also recognized the kid getting dunked as Unibrow from the bus stop. Studying the four kids' despairing expressions, I could tell they really wanted to help out their friend, but the two boys would certainly punish them if they did. One boy had long, curly green hair and appeared the heaviest of the group while the other sported a red Mohawk. Both of them were tall and well-built.

The other boy, the one who sat on the bench, was the biggest of them all. And I didn't mean in body fat—the guy was straight up _ripped_. Like, seriously, the shirt he wore looked like it was going to burst any second now. He had the ugliest sneer I had even seen anyone wear as well as the weirdest hairstyle I had ever seen. The sides of his head were shaven, and the rest of the hair was so extremely spiky, I was immediately reminded of a porcupine. He wore large, blue sunglasses and had three black and blue nose rings. Immediately, I could tell he was the leader.

"Hopefully this will teach you a lesson in being aware of your surroundings, brats," the porcupine dude growled.

He rolled a bright green tennis ball in his large, muscled hand, and I spied one broken tennis racket by the guy's feet. Instantly, I had an idea of what happened. These kids were playing tennis and a stray ball must have hit one of these jokers. My theory was confirmed when Porcupine turned his head and revealed a red medium-sized circular bruise on his cheek. He let out a boisterous laugh when his friend dunked Unibrow again.

"Stop it!" the girl with pigtails cried.

"Hey, Nico, you heard her," Porcupine called to the dunking person. "Enough."

Nico lifted Unibrow by the legs, suspending him over the water. The poor kid looked queasy, his face taking on a green tinge. Porcupine tilted his head toward Pigtails and grinned. "Do her, next."

The boy with the curly green hair stood closest to Pigtails, so he scooped her up and threw her on his shoulder, striding toward the fountain.

"Let go of me, you ape!" the girl shrieked. She pounded on the guy's back and kicked and screamed, but the dude was unfazed.

"Please, stop!" the girl with the braids pleaded.

"Oh? Would you like to take your friend's place instead?" Porcupine asked, sneering at the girl.

My blood boiled as Porcupine let out another cackle while Curly approached the fountain with the increasingly resistant girl. I unzipped my purse and rummaged through its contents until my hands wrapped around the cool metal of the pepper spray can. Dad had given the pepper spray to me as a parting gift. When he did, I was so extremely disappointed. Like, really? Out of anything he could have given me, he chose pepper spray? But at that very moment, watching those guys, words could not describe how grateful I was when I pulled the can out and gripped it so that my entire hand concealed it.

Nico cast Unibrow to the side and stepped back for his friend. Curly dangled Pigtails over the fountain with the girl struggling considerably, but it was no use.

"Whoa, whoa, you need to cool down," Curly said, cackling. "Let me help you out."

Before the guy could dunk the girl, I popped out of the bushes.

"Hey! That's enough!" I shouted, striding down the hill.

"Huh?!" Porcupine scowled, whipping his head in my direction.

Everyone turned to me with the bullies looking pissed and the kids looking relieved. I felt sort of guilty of that because the chance that I would actually end up saving them was so very slim.

"I said that's enough. Let them go now. I've already called campus police."

This was a lie, but they didn't need to know that.

Porcupine snorted and chuckled lowly. "Is that supposed to mean something to me, girlie? This has nothing to do with you. Keep walking!"

"Sorry, I can't do that," I said, shaking my head.

"Hmph, that's fine by me. Nico."

Porcupine snapped his fingers at his friend. Nico charged at me with incredible speed, but I was quicker. I held up the pepper spray and sprayed a generous amount right in his face.

_"Argh!"_ Nico cried out, backpedaling and covering his face. "I can't see! That crazy chick blinded me! I can't see!"

He crumpled to his knees and clawed at his shirt, pulling on it, his face rapidly taking on a deep tomato red. Curly glanced at his friend, which was a mistake.

"Yah!" Pigtails shouted, kicking her captor square in the face.

"Ow!" the guy howled.

He reeled back and dropped the girl, stumbling into Nico who was still wailing.

"You little—!" Mohawk growled at me, charging toward me.

I raised the can, but he smacked it out of my hand and grabbed my collar, easily lifting me off the ground.

"Whoa!" I yelped. "Let go!"

"You should have just minded your own business, girl," Mohawk said, smirking cruelly.

"And you should invest in a breath mint," I retorted and spat in his face.

"Ugh! You witch!" Mohawk screamed, throwing me to the ground. I landed on my butt and scooped up the pepper spray, which was within reach, and peppered the guy. _"Aieeeee!"_ Mohawk howled. "Oof!"

The guy suddenly fell forward, unconscious, and I stared, stunned, at his prone, still body. I looked up to see one of the boys, holding a long, sturdy stick. He was a short kid with terror-filled black eyes and short black hair, covering his forehead.

"A-are you o-okay?" he stuttered, looking shaken.

"I should be asking you the same thing," I replied. Pigtails, Braids, Unibrow and the tall boy with extremely short black hair joined us, their faces tight with fear.

"What are you fools doing?!" Porcupine shouted at Nico and Curly, who were recovering. "Get 'em, you idiots!"

"Uh-oh. Run!" I commanded. The six of us booked towards the forest that stood a good distance from the fountain. Nico and Curly bolted after us, quickly gaining ground. "Split up!" I instructed, once we entered the woods.

The girls broke left while the boys broke right, and I kept on straight.

"Forget the brats! Grab the girl!" Nico shouted.

Aw, crap.

I could hear the boys' footsteps gaining ground, and I whirled around, chucking the pepper can at whoever was closest. Curly batted the can away and reached out with his beefy hand, grabbing my left arm.

"Ah!" I shrieked.

"This oughta teach you to mind your damn business, witch!" Curly spat.

He roughly shoved me back, hard, into a nearby tree. My right shoulder slammed into the rough bark, intense pain exploding down my arm and across my collarbone. I dropped to my knees and grabbed my right arm, which now throbbed in unbearable pain. Tears sprang to the surface, and I bit my lip, turning my face away from the approaching boys.

Curly and Nico sauntered over to me with smug expressions.

"Finally got you, witch," Curly jeered.

"Yeah, not so tough without your dumb pepper spray now, huh?" Nico sneered.

I didn't respond, but merely kept my face turned away. Curly grabbed a fistful of my hair and lifted me off the ground so that I could actually look him in the eye. Not that I could since I was in so much agony from the hair pulling and what I suspected was a broken arm. I clawed at Curly's beefy hands with my left hand and swung my legs where it would hurt most, but Curly simply laughed, releasing me and stepping back. I crumpled to my knees, my face burying into the ground.

"Aw, I think you broke her," Nico snickered.

I groaned, rolling onto my side and glaring up at the boys.

"What's with the ugly glare, cow?!" Curly demanded.

"Cool it, Taigo," Porcupine spoke firmly, sauntering up to us. Taigo and Nico parted so that Porcupine could sneer down at me. He looked around and snorted. "Some friends. They abandoned you the first chance they got." I lifted my chin defiantly, maintaining my burning glare and silence. "Oh, so now you want to keep silent." Porcupine smirked. "Too little, too late for that, hun." He bent down and scooped up a medium-sized rock, studying it with a thoughtful expression, as if truly pondering whether or not it was adequate enough to accomplish what he wanted to do. "I don't care who you are; boy or girl, I'm going to teach you that _no one_ messes with the Porcupine."

Oh. My. Gosh. His name was actually Porcupine! I supposed that was what he was going for, what with his hair and prickly attitude. Porcupine raised the rock above his head and swiftly brought it down when a hand snapped out and seized his wrist.

"What the—?!" Porcupine growled, whipping his head back to see now who dared messed with the Porcupine.

His face paled, along with Nico's and Taigo's. A tall boy dressed in a black tank top, white shorts and black and white running shoes stood behind Porcupine, his hand clenched around the guy's wrist. A white towel hung around his neck, and he wore a blue bandanna designed with white diamonds that covered his short black hair while wearing the meanest and scariest glare I had ever seen anyone wear.

_"Fshhhh…."_ the guy hissed, narrowing his eyes, scowling.

His emerald eyes sparked in fury as he tightened his vice grip on Porcupine. Porcupine winced, releasing the rock, and it bounced harmlessly on the ground.

"K-K-K-K-K-Kaidoh!" Porcupine stammered.

His face broke out in a sweat, his knees practically knocking together under the burning gaze of the other boy.

"You… just what do you think you were doing with that rock?" Kaidoh asked lowly, his gaze chilling and threatening.

I noticed how Nico and Taigo were slowly inching backwards, their frightened gazes trained on the newcomer. Nico was the first to make a run for it, followed by Taigo, who ran in the opposite direction of his friend. Porcupine gaped after his retreating friends.

"Wait! Come back here, you cowards!" Porcupine screamed after them. "I swear, I'll—whoa!"

Kaidoh released Porcupine's hand and grabbed him by the collar, roughly twisting him around so they faced each other.

"You were actually going to use that rock on the girl, huh?!" Kaidoh demanded, his face harsh.

Porcupine now looked like he was going to crap on himself. "I-I-I-I-I—"

Kaidoh slammed Porcupine against a tree, his scowl deepening with each passing second. "Huh?!" he demanded.

Tears were now streaming down Porcupine's face as he blubbered his apologies. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Please, don't hurt me! Please!"

_Wow, what a wuss,_ I thought, shocked at the turn of events.

This Kaidoh person must be something else if he caused someone as huge and built as Porcupine to blubber like a baby. Plus, he made the other two vanish without so much a glance their way.

"You're apologizing to the wrong person," Kaidoh stated, releasing the guy.

Porcupine fell on his knees and peered up at Kaidoh in confusion. Kaidoh growled, grabbing Porcupine's shirt and pulling him in my direction.

"O-oh, right." Porcupine bowed his head to the ground. "I'm so very sorry for my actions! I also apologize on behalf of my friends!"

I stared, stunned, at the apologizing figure. "Um… it's all good…?" I said, not sure what else to say.

Porcupine raised his head and looked over at Kaidoh expectantly.

_"Fshhhh…."_ Kaidoh hissed, his furious glare not softening in the slightest.

Porcupine scrambled to his feet and bolted, disappearing through the trees. Once he was out of sight, Kaidoh glanced at me, and I started, his intense gaze terrifying me.

_Now, I can see why those guys were so frightened. This guy looks so scary!_

Kaidoh stooped down and studied me, his intense expression softening considerably. "Can you walk?" he asked quietly.

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Um, yeah, my legs work just fine," I answered, sitting up. He helped me to my feet, and I grimaced when sharp pain radiated down my arm. "Uugh…." I groaned lowly, grabbing my right arm when another bout of stabbing pain hit me.

"Hey, you don't look so well. Is it your arm?" Kaidoh asked, looking alarmed.

I winced and nodded. "Y-yeah. The fat one threw me into a tree. I think my shoulder maybe broken." Up to this point, I was trying my darndest not to cry, but the pain gradually increased in intensity, reaching to the point where I was now sweating bullets and felt ready to pass out. "Whoa…." I muttered, teetering forward.

"O-oi!" Kaidoh cried, catching and steadying me.

I was really out of it. My vision and hearing swam in and out, and if it wasn't for the fact that Kaidoh was holding me up, I was pretty sure I would be on the ground, knocked out. Ugh. The world would not stop spinning. Without thinking, I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against Kaidoh's chest until the unpleasant sensations gradually subsided.

"H-hey, are you…?" Before Kaidoh could finish his sentence, a loud shout interrupted him.

"Look! Over there!"

My eyes snapped open at the sudden shout, and when I realized I was resting on Kaidoh, I jumped away. Big mistake. Acute pain coursed through my upper body, causing me to involuntarily scream.

_"It hurts!"_

Boy, that felt great, though the pain refused to subside.

"Oh, no, she's hurt!"

I recognized the soft-spoken voice as Braids. I looked over to see Braids and her friends running towards us with a campus security guard.

"Kaidoh-senpai?" Unibrow spoke, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"You guys actually came back?" I asked, surprised.

"Of course we came back!" Pigtails replied, placing her hands on her hips. "Those guys were psychos! We had to get help hence why we have Mr. Police Guy here," Pigtails said, jabbing a thumb at the policeman. Her furious expression gave way to concern when she examined me. "Those guys… they actually hurt you!"

"Yeah, that's what happens when you poke in others' business, he said," I said.

"They're not going to get away with this!" Pigtails vowed.

"You're right about that," the guard said. "We've been receiving a lot of reports lately about some guy named Porcupine and his goons causing trouble and disturbing others. It was always petty pranks, though. Clearly, they've gone too far. Rest assured, the group will be taken care of, but first we need to get you to the infirmary," the guard advised.

I stifled a groan, instantly remembering yesterday's visit to the infirmary. Was it just me or was I starting to become a regular visitor of the place?

"Can you walk?" Unibrow asked.

"It's my arm that's broken, not my legs," I replied, frowning.

"What Horio means is are you in too much pain to walk?" the kid with short black hair clarified.

"Oh, um, yeah, I'm pretty sure I can manage," I answered, although, honestly, I wasn't entirely sure. And, judging by everyone's doubtful expressions, I knew they weren't buying it.

Kaidoh sighed, nodding slightly. "Okay, I'll carry you to the infirmary."

"Eh? No, you're fine," I declined, shaking my head and waving my left hand. "Really. I can walk."

The security guard shook his head. "Let him carry you. It's no good for you to walk injured. You need medical attention as soon as possible, and there will be no way you could walk at a fast pace if you're in severe pain."

Ugh. He was right. My face burned bright red as I bowed to Kaidoh, or tried to anyway since moving my upper body in the slightest generated sharp pain. Still, I ignored the agony as I spoke to my hero.

"Thank you so much for your help. I'm sorry for the trouble," I said.

"It's no problem," Kaidoh answered.

"Yeah, if anything, _we_ should be the ones apologizing," the tall kid said, looking remorseful.

"Why? You guys didn't do anything wrong. It was my decision to help you without backup," I said.

"Which was a stupid move on your part," Kaidoh muttered.

My face burned brightly as I sputtered a response. "A-anyway! The only one responsible for my actions is me."

"Well said," the guard replied. "Now, come on, let's hurry and get you to the nurse."


	13. Amazing Injury

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Amazing Injury**

The campus security guard escorted us to the infirmary, opening the double doors for Kaidoh.

"This is as far as I'll go because I need to get a jump on this Porcupine business as quickly as possible," the guard said, nodding to me. "I'll be sure he and his friends receive severe punishment for their actions, I promise you."

I smiled. "Okay, thank you very much."

"Yes, thank you Riko-san," Sakuno said.

Riko waved goodbye and walked down the path while we entered the building.

* * *

"Dear heavens, _now_ what happened?!" Kanzaki asked, shocked when Kaidoh entered the infirmary, carrying me.

Kaidoh set me down gently, and I turned to Kanzaki with a sheepish smile.

"Um… I broke my arm?" I replied, though it sounded more like a question than an answer.

"Broke your arm?"

"Yeah, these jerks broke her arm because she saved us," Pigtails said, stepping beside me.

"Us…?" Kanzaki studied each kid before looking my way, eyebrows raised. "Hmm… well, come over here," Kanzaki instructed, pulling aside the blue curtain and pointing at the empty bed. I walked past her and sat on the bed while she turned to the others. "Thank you for bringing her here, Kaoru-kun. I'll be sure to take great care of her," Kanzaki promised.

Kaidoh nodded wordlessly, glancing my way before turning and heading out.

"Thank you very much for saving me, Kaidoh-san!" I called after him, but the guy was already gone.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have you all step outside while I tend to your friend," Kanzaki said to the others who remained.

The kids clearly didn't want to leave, but they obeyed and filed out the room.

"We'll be waiting right out here, okay?" Pigtails stated.

"Oh, you don't have to wait for me," I told her.

"We know, but we want to," the short black haired kid said, smiling.

Horio and Braids voiced their agreement, smiling brightly at me. I felt my heart swell at their bright expressions and grinned, nodding enthusiastically.

"Okay, thanks!"

Kanzaki closed the door after them and walked over to me. She paused a few inches from me, studying my right arm with a serious expression.

"Hmm… so, you say it's broken?"

"I think so. I mean, I've never had a broken arm, but it's paining me pretty bad…."

Kanzaki nodded, her eyes trained on my shoulder. "How did you hurt it?"

"A really huge dude literally threw me at a tree and my shoulder took the blow," I answered.

Kanzaki's eyes widened, her jaw dropping slightly open. "What? Why on earth—?" Kanzaki stopped herself and shook her head. "You know what, the story can wait. I'm just going to tell you right now that your arm is not broken."

"It's not?" I asked, surprised.

"Nope, but I do see a rather large bump at the corner of your shoulder. I suspect you have a separated shoulder, but I cannot be one hundred percent definite without an x-ray," Kanzaki said. She walked to the drawers, opening one and pulling out a notepad and pen. "I don't have an x-ray machine in here, so I'm going to send you up to the third floor because that is where x-rays are taken. Here you go, take this to the receptionist on the third floor, and he'll help you from there," Kanzaki said, handing me a note. "The only other thing I can do is put your arm in a sling to stabilize the shoulder," Kanzaki said, pulling out another drawer and bringing out a black sling.

"Okay, thank you, Kanzaki-san," I said.

Once Kanzaki slipped the sling on my shoulder, I gently slid off the bed.

Kanzaki smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I couldn't do much more for you. There are just some things that are out of my job description."

"I understand. Thank you," I said once again.

I bid the nurse goodbye and stepped out of the infirmary, closing the door behind me.

"So? What's the damage?" Pigtails asked.

"Kanzaki-san suspects I might have a separated shoulder, but I need an x-ray to be sure," I explained, holding up the note Kanzaki gave me. "She said I should go to the third floor."

"Then let's go then!" Pigtails shouted, grabbing my left wrist and pulling me towards the elevators.

"T-Tomo-chan! You shouldn't be pulling her like that!" Braids softly reprimanded her friend.

Tomo slowed her pace and smiled apologetically at me. "Whoops, you're right Sakuno. My bad."

Reaching the elevators, Sakuno pressed the up button and turned to me, a small smile on her face.

"Thank you again for saving us, um….?"

She looked at me expectantly, and it took me a second to realize she wanted me to say my name.

"Oh! Uh, Gracie. Gracie Evans," I introduced, smiling broadly.

"I'm Ryuzaki Sakuno," Sakuno said.

"And I'm her best friend, Osakada Tomoka. Nice to meet you!" Tomoka said, beaming.

"I'm Kato Kachiro."

"Satoshi Horio! Pleased to meet you!" Horio introduced enthusiastically.

"And I'm Mizuni Katsuo. You really did save our butts back there," Katsuo spoke gratefully.

"Well, I wasn't going to just sit back and let those boys do what they want," I said.

"Yeah, but weren't you scared?" Tomoka asked. "Those guys were pretty built, you know."

I pointed at the sling holding up my arm. "Yeah, I know."

"S-sorry," Tomoka apologized.

"It's no big deal. Hopefully they'll catch those guys," I said.

The elevator arrived, and we entered inside, the elevator speedily arriving on the third floor and the six of us stepping out. The third floor had an impressive layout. Two large vending machines stood side to side on the far right wall along with a small, round table and four black and blue metal chairs surrounding the table. One round medium-sized window allowed the dazzling morning sun's rays to stream through, brightening the room and giving it a pleasant touch to the place. We approached the receptionist's desk, which was a sleek black round desk with two, tall green plants standing on both sides of the desk. A man in his thirties sat behind the desk, scribbling notes in a small notebook. When we approached, he closed the book and smiled widely at us.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

"Nurse Kanzaki sent me up here to get an x-ray," I told him, handing him the note.

The man quickly read the note and nodded approvingly. "Okay, if you would just sit over there, a doctor would call you when one becomes available, okay? Can I have your name?"

I told him before the group and I moved to the waiting area. The area was empty, so I hoped it would not take long to get called. The waiting area was pretty nice with its freshly cleaned black and blue tiles which shone beneath the fluorescent lights. There were two long black nylon couches facing each other with a long glass top table separating them. An 82 inch high-definition LCD TV screen sat high on the front wall, playing an unfamiliar Japanese soap opera.

A dark oak door stood in the back, and I knew this was where I would enter to get my x-ray done. Although I still hated the fact I was attending Ryogoku, I could not deny the fact the school was amazing. To think, they actually had their own personal doctors. The girls and I sat on one couch while the boys sat on the other. Tomoka glanced at the TV screen, her brown eyes lighting up.

"Ooh, ooh, it's 'Lucky Me,' Sakuno!" Tomoka said, pointing at the screen.

"'Lucky Me'?" I repeated, gazing up at the screen.

"Don't tell me you actually watch this dumb show," Horio said, frowning.

"And just what is so dumb about the show?!" Tomoka snapped.

"Everything. The plot makes no sense. The characters are pretty dull. And it's just fan service for girls," Horio replied.

"Yeah, well, I know millions of people who would disagree with you," Tomoka said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Millions? Is the show that popular?" I asked.

"Yeah! It's received all kinds of awards," Tomoka said. "Because, despite Horio's inaccurate opinion, the show is pretty awesome."

"Hey! How can someone's opinion be inaccurate?!" Horio demanded.

"Because it just can!" Tomoka snapped back.

"Tomo-chan, calm down," Sakuno said, looking over at the receptionist, but he wasn't paying any mind to us.

"Sorry, Sakuno, but you know how I get when it comes to defending Sengoku-sama," Tomo said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Sengoku- _sama?_ "

Sakuno giggled. "Sengoku Kiyosumi is name of the actor who plays one of the main characters. Tomo-chan is—"

_"Kyaaa! Sengoku-sama!"_ Tomoka interrupted. She sprang to her feet and clapped her hands, enthusiastically jumping up and down. "Look! Look!" she squealed, pointing at the high-def screen.

A very attractive slim, young guy with bright red hair and pretty green eyes appeared on the screen. He wore a sleek black tuxedo, enhancing his attractive features and had his arm looped around another girl's arm who sported a spectacular strapless light purple dress that slightly flared at the end. The girl wasn't the prettiest, but I knew the show's creators was going for that.

"T-Tomo-chan!" Sakuno tried calming her friend.

"I'm guessing the cute guy is Sengoku Kiyosumi?" I asked.

"Ooh, ooh, it's the prom episode! This is where Sengoku-sama finally, _finally_ confesses his feelings to Anzu!" Tomoka sighed happily. "This episode was so amazing~ Did you know his first movie came out yesterday?!" Tomoka released another high-pitched squeal, causing the rest of us to cover our ears. Well, everyone except me; I could only cover my left ear, which did very little to help me. "Sakuno, we totally have to go see it today!" Tomoka said.

Sakuno smiled, nodding while Horio made a silent motion of gagging. Kachiro and Katsuo chuckled quietly, covering their mouths with their hand when Tomoka whipped her head in their direction, effectively shutting them up with an intense glare. At that moment, the oak door opened, and a woman in her forties popped her head out.

"Who's next?" she asked the receptionist.

The man pointed at me and said, "Gracie Evans."

"That's me," I said, standing to my feet.

The woman opened the door all the way, smiling brightly at me. "Well, come on in," she said, motioning with her hand for me to follow her.

I exhaled softly. "Alright, here we go."

"We'll be waiting right here, Gracie," Katsuo promised.

I nodded. "Thanks. Hopefully it won't take too long," I said, approaching the woman.

"Hello, Evans-san, my name is Dr. Furuya, and I will be helping you with the x-ray," the woman told me.

I nodded, smiling widely. "Thanks for taking care of me," I said, stepping through the door.

Inside, stood a long hallway bathed in subdued yellow light lining the ceiling and softly illuminating the space. There were six rooms, three on each side, and Furuya steered me into the nearest room.

* * *

"It's official. You have a separated shoulder," Dr. Furuya stated. "Luckily, it's a mild case, which means treating it won't be so bad." After doing the x-ray, Furuya escorted me to a small room that was a lot like the infirmary only much, much smaller. Furuya pulled out a notepad and pen, scribbling notes on the pad. "To reduce the pain and swelling, I recommend icing your shoulder for twenty to thirty minutes; no more than thirty. Do this every four hours for three days. You can also take painkillers like Advil or Aleve, but I recommend you use these occasionally because of their side effects. You will have to keep the sling on for at least three weeks. Do you have any questions?" Furuya asked, ripping the paper out and handing it to me.

Three weeks?! I had to wear this uncomfortable thing for three weeks? But my videogames…. I shook my head mutely, staring down at the instructions Furuya wrote for my treatment. Furuya beamed at me.

"Cheer up! Be grateful this wasn't any worst, hm?"

I exhaled, stuffing the note in my purse and forcing a smile on my face.

"Yup, you're right. Thank you very much," I said, waving and heading out the room.

* * *

"So, now what do you plan on doing, Gracie?" Kachiro asked when the six of us exited the building.

I sighed depressingly. "Well, I had planned on spending the entire day at the arcade, but seeing how that's no longer an option…."

Tomoka gasped sharply, grabbing my left arm and gazing at me with those large, brown eyes.

"You can come to the movies with me and Sakuno! We're going to see Sengoku-sama's new movie 'Journey to My Heart.'" Tomoka released me, spinning around and clasping her hands together while gazing dreamily heavenward. "Sengoku-sama plays an angel who tells this girl she only has three months to live."

"Just by that sentence alone I already know how the movie's going to end," Horio said, rolling his eyes.

A large anger mark appeared on Tomoka's forehead as her dreamy demeanor melted into a furious scowl and she stepped toward the boy when Sakuno quickly intervened.

"S-still, it sounds like an interesting movie. Would you like to see it with us, Gracie-chan?" Sakuno asked.

Honestly, I wasn't interested in watching a romantic movie. I'd rather watch paint dry. But, of course, I didn't want to tell Tomoka _that_.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not really a fan of watching romantic movies," I answered truthfully.

"Aww, are you sure?" Tomoka asked.

"I'm afraid so, but thanks for inviting me."

Tomoka nodded and turned to Sakuno.

"I guess it'll just be the two of us, Sakuno. See you guys!" Tomoka said, running down the path. Sakuno began following after her when Tomoka stopped suddenly and quickly turned around. "Oh, yeah, Gracie, let's exchange numbers!"

I blinked, caught off guard by the request.

"Um, sure!" I said. I unzipped my purse and pulled out my phone, cringing at the five missed calls and dozen text messages from Yasumi. _Oh, yeah, I forgot all about her. I'll have to remember to call her back,_ I decided, exchanging numbers with the group.

"Okay, got it!" Tomoka declared happily. "We'll see you around, Gracie!" Tomoka said, waving and running down the path.

"Tomo-chan, wait!" Sakuno called after her friend. "Thank you again for rescuing us," Sakuno said, bowing to me. "I'm really sorry that you got hurt for our sake."

"Like I said before, Sakuno, I'm responsible for my own actions. It's not your fault I got hurt," I assured her.

"Come on, Sakuno!" Tomoka shouted.

"I'm coming! See you later, Gracie-chan," Sakuno said, bowing once more before joining her friend.

"Have fun!" I called after them. "What do you guys plan on doing now?" I asked the boys.

"Who knows," Kachiro answered. "After what happened, I definitely don't want to go back to Kido Park anytime soon."

"I agree," Katsuo said. "But what else can we do? Maybe we should have gone with the girls…."

"Are you crazy?!" Horio asked. "There's no way I'll watch some chick flick. I'd rather watch paint dry."

"Then what do you suggest Horio-kun?" Kachiro asked.

"We could always see what the others are doing," Horio suggested.

While the boys spoke amongst themselves, my stomach softly grumbled.

"Well, while you guys figure out what you're going to do, I'm going to grab myself something to eat," I said, walking down the path.

"Where will you go to eat?" Kachiro asked.

"The cafeteria," I replied.

"The cafeteria? Why would you possibly want to eat there?" Horio asked.

"Because I'm hungry, duh!" I called back over my shoulder.

"Ooh, let's go to Oishii's!" Katsuo suggested.

"Yeah, we should go there!" Kachiro agreed. "I wonder what the today's special is?"

"Hey, Gracie, let's go to Oishii's instead!" Horio said, running up beside me. "The food there will definitely be a lot better than the slop they'll serve at the caf!"

_Slop?!_ These rich folk will never cease to amaze.

"Yeah, it'll be my treat," Katsuo offered.

Well, I certainly wasn't going to turn down free food. I turned to the boys, a wide smile on my face.

"In that case, how should we get there: bus or walk?"

* * *

**Treatment info courtesy of WebMD.**


	14. Amazing Disrespect

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: Amazing Disrespect**

"That will be ¥134,359.52," the cashier said.

I don't think I would ever get used to the hefty prices. Once Katsuo paid, we sauntered over to the pick up area.

"Thanks for treating, Katsuo," I said, smiling.

"Mm-hm, it's the least I can do," Katsuo replied.

"Here you go. Enjoy!" the cashier placed our orders on a black tray, sliding it across the counter.

"Thanks!" Horio said, picking up the tray.

"Where should we sit?" Kachiro asked.

"How about—"

"Hey, there goes Echizen!" Horio exclaimed, cutting me off.

"Where?" Kachiro asked, turning to Horio.

"Oh, I see him. Hey, Ryoma-kun!" Katsuo called, waving.

_Echizen Ryoma? Why does that name sound familiar?_ I wondered.

I followed the boys' line of sight, spotting a short fellow wearing a white cap sitting by himself in a booth in the corner of the restaurant. His head was lowered, his attention focused on his cellphone. He glanced up when we approached his table, sitting back and pocketing his phone.

"Hey," he greeted quietly.

"This is Gracie Evans," Kachiro introduced, gesturing to me.

"Nice to meet you," I said.

"Mm," Ryoma hummed, appearing disinterested.

_Oookay then,_ I thought.

Kachiro, Katsuo and I slid into the booth, sitting opposite of Ryoma while Horio plopped next to Ryoma, causing Ryoma to slide away so that there was space between them.

"You won't believe what happened to us this morning, Echizen," Horio said. Ryoma didn't seem the least bit interested in hearing the story. In fact, it seemed like he wanted to leave, but Horio yammered on, oblivious. "We went to Kido Park to play tennis when Kachiro hit the ball so out of bounds that it struck this huge guy as he was walking by!"

"He wasn't alone, either," Katsuo added. "He had these really huge, tough-looking guys with him and—"

_"Kyaaa! Atobe-sama!"_ someone shrieked, startling us except Ryoma who remained unperturbed.

We looked to where the cry came from and saw a crowd of girls and guys, mobbing the entrance. I blinked, my shock increasing as more and more people jumped out of their seats and rushed to the entrance.

_What in the world?_ I wondered.

I glanced at the boys, sweat dropping when I saw Horio's, Kachiro's and Katsuo's reverent expressions. Ryoma maintained his apathetic attitude, having gone back to using his phone. The crowd slowly parted, revealing a handsome young man with dark purple hair. A really tall, huge dude followed the guy, his face stoic. The purple-haired guy—Atobe, I assumed—approached one of the lines, and people practically dived out of his way so that he could breeze to the front. At this, my jaw dropped.

_Whoa! Just who_ is _this guy that people are throwing themselves at him and letting him cut in front?_ I wondered.

"Atobe Keigo," Ryoma spoke, his attention still fixed on his phone.

I blinked, caught off guard by the boy's comment. "Huh?"

Ryoma didn't lift his head, but replied, "You're wondering who that guy is, right? His name's Atobe Keigo. He's the captain of the basketball team."

"Oh, I see. He must be a pretty good player if people like him this much," I said.

"Mada mada dane," Ryoma replied.

"Mada mada dane…?"

"Don't pay him any mind," Horio said, waving his hand dismissively at Ryoma. "Atobe-senpai is beyond good! During his first year, he _demolished_ every single upperclassman player _single-handedly!_ "

"Really?" I asked, impressed.

"It's because of him that the basketball club is one of the most popular clubs in school. They have over two hundred members!" Katsuo stated.

"Two hundred members?! That's actually pretty—"

"And to think he's captain of all those people _without_ a vice captain! That just shows how _awesome,_ Atobe-senpai is!" Kachiro spoke over me, admiration clear on his face.

"Yeah, the basketball team hasn't lost a game ever since Atobe-senpai became captain," Horio stated.

"Alright, I get it already. The guy is beyond impressive," I said, rolling my eyes.

A burst of squeals and shrieks caught our attention, and we looked over to see Atobe sitting several tables away from us, taking a seat by the window with the huge dude standing by, his stoic expression remaining unchanged. It was like he was Atobe's bodyguard or something. Wait, was he? My eye twitched as the noise level increased, not letting up one bit. Even Ryoma was starting to get annoyed by it, and I had started to think nothing could affect the guy. Atobe raised his arm high in the air and snapped his fingers. Immediately, the whole place went silent. I gaped, not believing what just happened. Did he really just silence the whole restaurant with the simple snap of his _fingers?!_

"Atobe-senpai is so cool," Katsuo commented with Horio and Kachiro agreeing with him.

_He's something alright…._ I thought, sipping my juice.

A waitress delivered Atobe's order, consisting of a small teacup and a slice of chocolate cake, setting it on the table and bowing deeply before hurrying away. Atobe lifted the cup to his face and sniffed the drink, his mouth forming a contented smile before closing his eyes and tentatively sipping the drink.

After Atobe had silenced the restaurant, people returned to their tables and places in line, but would still look his way with giddy and reverent expressions. I excused myself to the bathroom, hurrying by Atobe's table without glancing his way. I entered the bathroom, finding three girls primping and applying makeup in front of the mirrors, occupying all three sinks. The girls glanced my way with the middle one snickering, her coated dark red lips curling into a haughty smirk.

"Nice shirt," she commented.

My gaze dropped to my shirt, my eyebrows scrunching together in confusion before looking up at the girls, who were now all giggling. I didn't see what was so funny. All my shirt said was, "I love me, and that's all that matters," with a cute black cat at the bottom. Unless they were cat haters, I didn't see anything wrong with my shirt.

"Yeah, I like it," the girl closest to me stated. The girl was definitely foreign, sporting golden blonde hair that stopped at her shoulder with a large blue hair clip fixed at the top of the right side of her head and sparkling cerulean eyes, which sparked excitedly as she cocked her head to the side, studying my shirt. "Where'd you get it? The thrift store?"

At this, the other two girls burst into giggles while Blondie stared at me expectantly, her grin widening. Oh, now I see what was happening. It wasn't my shirt they were making fun of per se, but the fact that it gave away my status.

Lifting my chin in slight indignation, I replied, "So, what if I did?"

"Oh, my gosh! Seriously? How pitiful," Red Lips said, her giggling expression melting into a faux sympathetic one.

"I don't need to shop at some high-end store to wear nice clothes," I said, scowling.

The girl who hadn't spoken yet, scoffed, rolling her green eyes before fixing them on me with an intense glare.

"That's something commoners say because they can't _afford_ to wear nice clothes," Green-eyes said.

"Yeah, that's right!" Blondie chirped. "Just like how ugly people say beauty's on the inside or skin deep. What do _they_ know?" she asked, covering her mouth and giggling.

"Wait, wait, don't tell me you're…?" Red Lips gasped, her brown eyes widening. She grabbed both of her friends' arms, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Girls, I think she _is_ a commoner! The awful clothes, the unkempt appearance—she practically _screams_ poverty!"

Blondie and Green-eyes gasped sharply, scrunching up their faces in disgust.

"Ugh, I knew something was off about her," Green-eyes muttered.

"You know what, I don't care what you think of me and my so-called commoner status," I said, trying my best to squelch my anger. "If having more money than others gives you a sense of superiority, then that just goes to show how pitiful you are. Plus, it's not like you, _yourselves_ , earned the wealth," I pointed out.

"Who are you to call us pitiful, commoner?!" Green-eyes snapped. She smirked, tucking her hair behind her ear and gazing cruelly at me. "You know, for someone who can't afford to eat three meals a day, you sure look well-fed." Blondie gasped, nodding while Red Lips giggled.

"OMG, _yes!_ I thought so, too!" Blondie said. "Hey, fatty, here's a helpful tip for you: lay off on the empty calories!"

"Now, girls, let's remember, she can't even afford decent clothes, much less good food! Don't you remember in Aoki-sensei's class he said money is the one of the top reasons most people can't eat right because it costs too much?" Red Lips reminded her friends. She tilted her head with that same faux sympathetic look. "She has to eat whatever she can to survive. Even if that means gaining pounds and looking like a pig!"

"Are you finish, Miss Botox Lips?" I asked, smiling.

Red Lips gasped sharply, covering her mouth with one hand and narrowing her eyes, glaring viciously at me.

"Don't hate on me because you were born ugly and poor, pig!" Red Lips snapped, her hand still covering her mouth.

"Yeah, you jealous pig," Blondie chimed. "How did you even get accepted into this school anyway? No way could you afford the tuition."

"She's definitely here on a scholarship," Green-eyes said, scrunching her nose in disgust.

Blondie peered back at her friend, confused. "Scholarship? I thought Ryogoku didn't hand out scholarships."

"They do this dumb thing where they actually allow those who can't afford to pay the tuition to take an entrance exam. If they pass, they can attend the school for…" Green-eyes shuddered, "for free."

"Yeah, I call it the Commoner's Test because if you can afford the tuition, you don't have to take such a test," Red Lips said, flipping back her black hair and fixing a contemptuous glare on me.

You know what, my bladder could wait. Silently, I turned away, marching for the door.

"Whoa, it's an earthquake!" Green-eyes yelled, moving and bouncing around.

"No, Maura, it's just that jealous pig over there!" Blondie said, jabbing a thumb my way.

"Oh, whoops! That was my bad. It really felt like the earth was moving for a second!" Maura snickered.

The door slammed behind me, muffling the girls' cackles. I stood there for a moment, inhaling deeply before slowly exhaling. I wasn't going to lie, the girls' rude comments struck a chord. I shook my head, heading back to my table and trying to get the girls' ugly remarks out of my head when I noticed everyone's attention, including the staff, was turned towards Atobe's table.

_Oh, for goodness sake, take a picture, why don't you?_ I thought, rolling my eyes.

But when I glanced over to Atobe's table, I could see why everyone, even the staff, was interested. A slim young girl stood at Atobe's table, holding out to the guy a small white cake rimmed with strawberries with a strawberry cluster at the top. She wore thick, wire famed glasses and had short black hair that stopped just below her chin. She was a cute girl, looking a year older than me, and I couldn't help but observe as she spoke to Atobe in a trembling, feeble tone while Atobe leisurely sipped his tea, his eyes closed.

"Atobe-sama, I made this cake for you. It's a token of my longtime feelings for you. I've liked you ever since my first year here! Everyday, I've wanted to talk to you, but I could never work up the courage until now…. So, please…."

_Awww,_ I thought, putting a hand to my chest.

I've had my fair of crushes, but I never worked up the courage to confess. So, I had to give the girl props for doing it in such a public place.

"Can you believe her?" someone hissed behind me. I stiffened, immediately recognizing the voice. I looked back, stifling a groan when I saw Red Lips and her friends. The three of them glowered, arms crossed, at the girl. "If she thinks Atobe-sama is actually going to accept her confession…."

I rolled my eyes, returning my attention forward. Atobe set his teacup down, opening his eyes and shifting his gaze to the cake for a few seconds, before reaching out wordlessly with one hand. There was a collective of soft gasps with the loudest of them coming from the girls behind me. I peered back to see the girls wearing devastated expressions and couldn't help but smirk.

_Serves them right,_ I thought, returning my attention to Atobe and the girl.

The girl smiled brightly, her expression joyful. Atobe lifted the cake and tilted the plate, the cake sliding off and splattering to the ground. The whole place filled with gasps while my heart fell, the color draining from my face.

"Ore-sama only eats pastries made by a five star chef," Atobe said, setting the plate on the table.

"See? I knew it. What an idiot! To think I actually believed for a second that Atobe-sama was going to accept that cow's confession," Red Lips snickered.

The girls burst into giggles, persisting in their cruel remarks and causing a spark of anger to ignite within me.

"Kabaji," he spoke, his tone commanding as he held a hand out to the huge guy.

"Usu," Kabaji said, pulling out a satin blue handkerchief and handing it to Atobe, who wiped his hands with it.

The fire within me slowly grew larger when the girl burst into tears, burying her face in her hands and sharply turning away, dashing out the double doors.

"Look at her run!"

"What a loser!"

"Serves her right!"

Students jeered and laughed while Atobe resumed drinking his tea. I clenched my fists, the fire inside me roaring like wildfire. I strode purposefully toward Atobe, marching up to his table. Atobe sighed, an irritated expression on his face as he set his cup down.

"What is it? Another confession?" he asked dryly, gazing out the window. "Honestly, could you at least have the decency to wait until Ore-sama finished his meal?" He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and chuckled lowly. "Nice shirt you have there."

That did it.

"It is a nice shirt!" I exploded, startling Atobe. "I know it's a nice shirt! I bought it _because_ it's a nice shirt! I'm wearing it because it's so _nice!_ " I spat. "So you rich people can either keep your snobby opinions to yourselves or kiss my commoner bum because I don't give a rat's butt what you think of me. And another thing, you have a lot of nerve treating that girl the way you did!" I snarled, jabbing a finger at Atobe's chest. "You… you… you…!" I couldn't even complete my sentence. My entire body felt hot with anger. Atobe's rejection of that girl affected me a lot more than I realized. "What is wrong with you? Have you no respect for others? I just don't understand—if you didn't want the cake, you could have just politely declined it, or not even politely, you could have simply said no, but you didn't have to go that far! That girl clearly worked hard in preparing that cake for you. You didn't have to do what you did!" I shouted.

The entire restaurant was dead silent now with everyone looking on in complete shock. Atobe narrowed his dark blue eyes at me, his mouth curling into a smirk.

"Ho, you have some nerve, girl," he spoke. "You dare speak to the king like that?"

_King?! First, 'Ore-sama' now he's calling himself_ king?! _This guy is so full of it!_ "King?" I scoffed, chuckling humorlessly. "And just what are you king of? King of all that is cruel and evil?"

Atobe scowled. "Who—"

"Let me tell you something Mr. Ore-sama, King of the Jerks," I interrupted, stunning Atobe into silence. "Yes, you have riches. Yes, you have talent, and, yes, you are incredibly good-looking, but in no way, shape or form does that give you the _right_ to treat others like crap. To put others down just so you can feel good about yourself goes to show what a crappy human being you are. King, you say? I'd rather serve a dog than serve some king like you," I spat.

"Holy _crap_ _!_ " someone whispered.

After saying my piece, the fierce fire burning within me almost immediately extinguished. I blinked, feeling everyone's stunned gaze on me and silently gulped when my gaze trailed to the frightening, huge guy standing beside Atobe, his impassive expression not budging in the slightest. My gaze slid back to Atobe's wintry expression, and I couldn't help but flinch.

Geez, I just could not mind my own business today.

"You've just made the biggest mistake of your life, pussy cat. _No one_ speaks to Ore-sama that way without consequence. Kabaji!" Atobe commanded, snapping his fingers.

Pussy cat? It was probably another jab at my shirt.

"Usu," Kabaji responded, stepping toward me.

"Okay, wait! Hold on, Kabaji," I said, holding up one finger to the huge, frightening dude. I looked to Atobe, a nervous smile on my face. "You know what? You're right. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. Here I am, speaking on you being incredibly rude, when I'm being exactly that. Please, forgive me," I said, sweeping my left arm out and bowing deeply.

"Hmph, that's more like it. This is a good look for you, pussy cat," Atobe said, smirking.

"Yes, you're right. You are clearly superior. Please, accept this as my… _apology!_ "

Before anyone could react, I scooped up a huge part of the ruined cake off the ground and hurled it at Atobe. The treat landed square in Atobe's face with some parts flying into his hair.

_"Ugh!"_ Atobe sputtered, swiping at his face, which only smeared the vanilla whipped icing even more across his face.

I scampered away when Atobe rose to his feet, still trying to remove the cake off his face and hair, but his frantic actions made it even worse.

"Now, that's a good look for you, king!" I said, snickering.

_"Kabaji!"_ Atobe shouted, still preoccupied in ridding the cake.

Welp, that was my cue to leave.

"Maybe now you'll learn to treat others respectfully!" I said, sprinting for the door with the big guy right on my tail. I dashed out the door, nearly colliding into a couple who were about to enter the restaurant. "Excuse me!" I said, ducking around them and sprinting past.

"What was that about?" the guy asked, gazing back at me.

"Who knows…? Whoa! Look out!" the girl shrieked when Kabaji burst out the door at top speed.

_"Whoa! Whoa!"_ the guy yelped, pushing aside his girlfriend just in time as Kabaji collided into him, sending him sprawling backwards. "Oof!" he grunted, hitting the ground, hard.

"Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going?!" the girl demanded of Kabaji, stooping beside her boyfriend.

I glanced back to see Kabaji helping the couple and breathed a sigh of relief. I was even more relieved when the all familiar black bus rumbled down the road, and I waved my left hand, flagging the bus down. It slowed down, its doors opening, and I hurriedly climbed inside.

"Thank you very much!" I said, plopping in the front seat.

The bus pulled away the exact time Atobe emerged from the restaurant. I grinned, flashing and waving a 'V' sign, watching with immense satisfaction as he and Oishii's faded in the distance.

* * *

"Tch, she got away," Atobe muttered. He had succeeded in removing most of the cake, but white vanilla icing still flecked his purple hair. That was going to take some heavy duty shampooing. "That little—she thinks she got away with making a fool of Ore-sama. She doesn't know that life just got incredibly difficult for her," Atobe growled.

He flicked his glance toward Kabaji and the couple who were now both on their feet, gawking at Atobe.

"Atobe-san, congrats on last week's game!" the guy said, cheesing like a Cheshire cat.

"Yes, yes, you were absolutely amazing!" the girl squealed.

Atobe scowled, stalking past the admiring couple. "Kabaji," Atobe snapped.

"Usu," Kabaji replied monotonously, catching up to Atobe's brisk stride in four steps.

"Let's find out just who we're dealing with, hm?"

"Usu."


	15. Amazing Blessing in Disguise

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Amazing Blessing in Disguise**

"I can't believe I did that," I muttered, climbing off the bus.

The bus dropped me off at the cafeteria since I was still hungry, and hadn't yet eaten thanks to that terrible situation. I studied my left hand, which was still covered in vanilla whipped icing, my heart skipping a beat when an image of Atobe's furious expression flashed through my head. Yup, this was definitely going to come back and bite me, I just knew it. But when I recalled the heartbroken girl who fled the restaurant after Atobe's harsh rejection, anger reignited within me. Sure, I definitely could have handled that better, but what that guy did was completely unacceptable. And to think people worshipped the guy….

I entered the cafeteria, the mouthwatering smells greeting me at the door. The cafeteria was practically empty with only ten people, including myself, present. I stepped in line, got my food and sat at an empty table. I pulled out several napkins from the dispenser and wiped the whipped icing off my hand before digging into my meal.

"To put others down just so you can feel good about yourself goes to show what a crappy human being you are," my voice spoke angrily in tinny volume.

Huh?

"I'd rather serve a dog than serve some king like you…."

What in the… why am I hearing myself saying the same words I said to Atobe?

"Holy crap, did she really say that to Atobe-senpai?!" someone shouted, astonished.

"Yeah, man, Kai just sent this to me. He said the girl went ballistic. Look, look at this!"

I twisted my body around so I could see who the voices belonged to and found two boys sitting one table away from me, both of them peering down at a cell phone one of them held. They inhaled sharply, glancing at each other with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Oh, my...! Did she really just _do_ that?!"

"Oh, man, Atobe-senpai has to be pissed!"

"I almost feel sorry for the girl."

The boy on the right snorted, putting away the phone. "Why? For what she did to Atobe-senpai, she deserves every bad thing that's coming to her."

His friend snickered, nodding in agreement. "Hey, I did say I _almost_ felt sorry for her."

I faced forward, a bad feeling creeping through the pit of my stomach. Having lost my appetite, I grabbed my food and stood up, dumping the food in the nearest trash can and hurrying out of the cafeteria, sighing deeply. So, it seemed someone recorded my blowout. Great, just great. Walking down the path to return to the dorm, I unzipped my purse, pulling out my phone.

_Oh, crud, I forgot that I need to call Yasumi back,_ I thought, dialing my friend's number and putting the phone to my ear.

"Hello, Gracie?! Are you still in one piece? You're not calling from the hospital or police station, are you?" Yasumi demanded.

I cringed, glancing down at my sling before sighing. "Um, well…."

"Oh, my gosh, you _are?!_ " Yasumi shrieked. "Which is it? Hospital? Police? Both?!"

"Calm down, Yasumi! I'm alive and barely well, but I'm alive all the same. Also, how can I be in the hospital _and_ the police station?"

"Forget about that! What do you mean you're _barely_ well?! What does that mean?!"

I relayed to Yasumi all that's happened, including the whole mess with the mean girls and Atobe. When I finished speaking, Yasumi remained quiet for a few moments, making me think we lost connection.

"Yasumi? You still there?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm still here. I'm just still processing your story. When you say Atobe, do you mean the same Atobe Keigo, star captain of Ryogoku's basketball team?!" Yasumi asked, astonished.

"Wait, you actually _know_ him?! Is the guy that famous?!" I asked.

"Have you really never heard of him? He's the heir to Atobe Zaibatsu. His family is like crazy, ridiculous rich. I heard since Atobe's family donates such a large amount of money to the school every year, Atobe doesn't have to live in the dorms. He has his own place on campus. Is this true?" Yasumi asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he did," I muttered.

"But, seriously, Gracie, if what you're telling me is true, then you're in deep, deep trouble!"

"How do you figure?"

"You're not the first person to stand up to the guy. Those who stood up to Atobe ended up in terrible situations."

"Terrible… situations?" I repeated, uneasiness striking my heart.

"Yeah, pretty much Atobe gets the whole school to turn on the person until the person transfers out," Yasumi said.

"Is that all?" I asked.

"Is that _all?_ " Yasumi repeated, shocked. "Are you _crazy?!_ Students transfer out because of the harsh bullying, and you say 'is that all'?!"

"Because it's not going to be anything I haven't already experienced in the past three years thanks to Ami," I said.

"Okay, yes, Ami was absolutely _terrible_ ," Yasumi agreed. "But you're going to be dealing with the entire school!"

"Hmm, you're right, I am…." I said, my eyes lighting up as an idea popped in my head. "Oh, my gosh, I _am!_ The entire school is going to be after me! Atobe won't stop until I'm gone!"

"Why on earth do you sound so happy about this?!" Yasumi demanded.

"Yasumi, don't you see?! What started out as a terrible situation ended up being the answer to my prayers!"

"Huh? I'm sorry, I think I missed something. How is getting bullied by the entire school an _'answer to your prayers'?!_ Just how is the situation a good thing period?!"

"Because I can use the situation to my advantage. And you're going to help me out," I said, my mouth curling into a sly smirk.

" _Me?_ What do you mean?"

"If what you said is true, you can imply to my parents that things aren't going so well for me here at school; emphasis on _imply._ Don't make it so obvious that they think you're just trying to convince them to get me out of this school, but drop subtle hints to them, like, 'Gracie's been sounding pretty down lately. I've tried asking what's wrong, but she just won't tell me anything' or 'Has Gracie been sounding off to you lately? I don't know if it's just my best friend senses tingling, but I think something's going on with her.' You know, stuff like that. Make it so that it weighs on their minds. Then, they'll see that it was a _huge_ mistake forcing me to come to this school and will pull me out," I finished explaining.

The plan was brilliant, absolutely brilliant, and it wasn't like I was lying, either. Things were about to get ugly around here, and the video of my blowout just proved I was in deep.

"Oh, my gosh, Gracie, you are one devious little girl," Yasumi remarked, sounding impressed. "If you put in as much time, energy and brain power into your school work as you do in plotting schemes, you probably wouldn't struggle as bad in S class."

"Bah! I absolutely refuse to waste my time with that S class nonsense. Are you going to help me or not?" I demanded.

"I'm helping, I'm helping! I definitely want you out of there as soon as possible before something really bad happens to you," Yasumi said.

"Good. Now, I want you to wait until Wednesday, okay? Then, you can call my parents and do your thing. Remember _subtle hints!_ Got it?"

"Got it," Yasumi affirmed.

"Awesome. I'll talk to you later. Bye." I disconnected the call, a huge grin on my face. _Well, well, who knew something good could come out of this whole thing with Atobe?_

I was so happy, I could sing! My plan hinged on my parents' fear that the kids at Ryogoku would bully me because of financial status. After all, I attended Ryogoku on a scholarship, which seemed to be frowned upon by the stuck up, rich kids here. I practically skipped down the path, humming happily to myself when something hard smacked me square in the back of my head, knocking me forward.

"Ouch!" I cried, stumbling forward but kept myself from falling to the ground. Colorful spots danced in my vision, and I tried blinking the spots away while my head now throbbed painfully from the impact. _What on earth was that?!_ I wondered. I glanced behind me to find a black-and-white soccer ball lying innocently beside my feet. I snatched the ball off the ground, looking around for the culprit, but there was no one around. _Well, this ball didn't just throw_ itself _at me,_ I thought, scowling.

"I think the ball went this way," I heard someone shout.

"Dude, thanks to you, we're now going to be late for practice!"

"No, we're not! We still have time. Now, quit whining and help me find my ball."

Two boys rounded the bend of the path, and my eyes widened when I saw the boys wore the same uniform as the seaweed head boy on the bus the other day.

_I still have that guy's phone,_ I remembered.

One of the boys nodded to me, nudging his friend. "Look, that girl has the ball."

"Thanks for saving my ball!" the guy said, grinning gratefully. His hair was black and styled in a buzz cut that I didn't think look too good on him.

"No problem," I replied, handing it out to him. As he reached for it, I pulled it back at the last second, glaring hard at the guy. "You know, you ought to be more careful. Your ball nearly killed me."

"See, Kaito? I told you to be more careful," Kaito's friend said.

Kaito sweat dropped, rubbing the back of his neck while chuckling apologetically. "Yeah, you're right." Kaito bowed deeply. "I'm extremely sorry for my carelessness!"

The other boy bowed, too. "I'm sorry for my friend's actions. You weren't terribly hurt, were you?"

"No, it's not too bad. Just a mild headache," I said, throwing the ball to Kaito. "I have a question… would you happen to be part of a soccer team?"

"We're not on the team, per se, but we are part of the soccer club," Kaito's friend replied.

"I see," I said, nodding. "Next question: do you happen to know a boy with really wavy black hair that reminds you of seaweed? He wears the same uniform as you so I figured he's a member of the club…?"

"Yeah, you're talking about junior ace, Kirihara Akaya!" Kaito said.

"Junior ace? I take it he's an impressive player," I said.

"Impressive? Kirihara-senpai is beyond impressive!" Kaito's friend remarked. "He's the only second year player on the team, which goes to show how talented he is."

"Yeah, I even heard he might be next year's captain!" Kaito said.

"Good for him, but the reason I'm asking is I wanted to return something of his to him," I said.

"You could come with us. We're on our way to soccer practice now," Kaito offered.

"Cool, thanks," I said, smiling.

"We better hurry. We're already running late," Kaito's friend said, checking the time on his phone.

"Ah, crap, you're right." Kaito groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. "Let's get going then!"

"Wow, look at all the hardworking players," I admired.

The boys and I stood on the edge of the enormous soccer field, observing some players practice drills while some others did jumping jacks off the field. Kaito sighed, his face flooding in relief as he placed a hand on his chest.

"I don't see the captain or vice-captain out here. They must be inside," Kaito said, jabbing a thumb at a medium-sized building.

"What's in there?" I asked.

"It's an indoor training facility exclusive for the soccer club. That way, even when it rains, we can still hold practice," Kaito explained.

"Ooh, fancy," I murmured, watching as two boys exited the building, their pale skin flushed pink from practice.

"Hmm… the third year regulars must also be inside because I don't see them out here," Sadami said.

"No, but I do see our junior ace. There goes Kirihara-senpai!" Kaito said, pointing across the field.

There, a boy ran down the field, expertly maneuvering the ball around opposing players and scoring a clean goal from fifty yards away. Cheers resounded all around as players jogged up to the boy, patting him on the back and congratulating him.

"Did you see that?" Kaito asked, turning to me, his black eyes shining excitedly. "That's our junior ace!"

"He is pretty good. He scored a goal from such a far distance," I said, impressed.

"Yeah, we have all kinds of scarily awesome regulars, but all of them, except for Kirihara-senpai, are third-years, which means this will be their last year playing for Ryogoku's soccer team. It gets me depressed just thinking about it," Sadami said, sighing dejectedly. "It's thanks to the Three Monsters of Ryogoku and the others that Ryogoku's soccer team is the best in the country. But when next year comes around…."

"Quit with the depressing talk!" Kaito scolded, smacking Sadami in the head.

"Ouch! Hey, what's your—?!"

"Do you really think that after the third years are gone, our soccer team will suddenly suck? Where's your faith and support, dude?! No way is that going to happen! That's why Captain Yukimura and the others train us so harshly so that Ryogoku's soccer team remains the best. And don't sell our second years so short; we have some exceptionally skillful players. Granted, they're nowhere near as good as Kirihara-senpai, but they're awesome regardless! And with Kirihara-senpai as our captain next year, Ryogoku's soccer team will remain number one!" Kaito said, beaming.

"You're right!" Sadami said, nodding. "Sorry for my poor attitude," Sadami said, shrugging and smiling sheepishly.

"Don't mind it, just keep that in mind, okay?"

"Awww, nice speech, Kaito," I said, nudging his arm.

Kaito lightly blushed, rubbing the back of his head and averting his gaze sideways. "Heh, uh, thanks. I tend to get fired up when it comes to soccer."

"Is it your hope to be a regular?" I asked.

"Of course! I won't settle for anything less!" Kaito spoke excitedly. "That's why I'm a really huge fan of Kirihara-senpai because even though he's the youngest regular, his soccer skills are unbelievable!"

"Yeah, I'm super glad he's on our team because I know I wouldn't want to play him as an opponent," Sadami said.

"Why is that?" I asked, curious.

"Well, his nickname alone would freak me out," Sadami replied.

"His nickname?"

Kaito nodded. "He's been dubbed the Devil of Ryogoku."

" _Devil?!_ Why? Is he, like… evil or something?" I asked.

Kaito and Sadami shared a glance before looking back at me. "No…?" they answered, sounding unsure.

"What's with the uncertainty? It's either he is or he isn't. Is he really mean or something?"

"It's not that he's _mean,_ per se," Kaito said, gazing upward. "But more like he'll show his opponents no mercy, injuring them until, literally, they can no longer stand. That happened one time."

"No, it happened twice. Remember Hirose High? You're always forgetting Hirose High," Sadami said.

"Oh, yeah, you're right. Maybe because that guy actually deserved it?"

"All the more for you _not_ to forget."

"Oh, I see. Kirihara's called the devil because he plays dirty. Yup, I can definitely see the relation," I said, scowling.

"What? No!" Kaito vehemently denied. "Kirihara-senpai does not play dirty!"

"Well, you know, I'm not really a sports nut, but last I checked injuring players so your team had a better shot at winning is _playing_ _dirty!_ " I snapped.

"And I'm telling you Kirihara-senpai doesn't do that! He doesn't hurt players on purpose!" Kaito argued.

"Well…." Sadami interjected, flinching when Kaito shot him a glare. "Maybe Kirihara-senpai doesn't mean to do it, sure, but he is a pretty rough player."

"So? Soccer is a rough sport. It's not meant for weaklings," Kaito said, snorting.

_If you say so,_ I thought, rolling my eyes. Now, I didn't even want to return the phone to the guy. I mean, I did, but I didn't want to be the person doing the returning. "Here, return this to Kirihara for me, will you?" I asked, digging through my purse and pulling out the cell phone, handing it to Kaito.

"Okay, will do," Kaito said, still appearing annoyed.

I sighed. "Sorry for badmouthing the guy. From how you were describing him, I didn't get a good vibe. But, you know what, you're his teammates, which means you know him better than I do. For all I know, he's probably a good guy at heart."

"He is," Kaito quickly agreed.

I nodded. "Okay, then, I believe you." I pointed at the phone grasped tightly in Kaito's hand. "I can trust you to give that to Kirihara?"

"Yup!" Kaito said enthusiastically.

I smiled. "Okay then. I'll see you—whoa!" The fattest bee I had ever seen buzzed past my face, causing me to jump back.

"What is it?" Sadami asked, concerned.

"It was a bee." I shuddered. "I'm terribly allergic to bees." Bzzz! The bee brushed past my ear, causing me to jump sideways. "Ah! What the—? Why is that bee—ack!" I shouted, ducking as the bee flew over my head. I ran away from it, hiding behind Sadami and peering around his shoulder.

"I think it likes you," Sadami joked.

"That's not funny!" I said, my voice high-pitched. "I can't get stung! When I say I'm allergic, I mean, like, _deathly_ allergic! It's so bad I— _ah!_ " I yelped when another bee buzzed past my face.

"Whoa, now there's two of them!" Kaito remarked.

He watched wide-eyed as the bees flew around each other for a few seconds before flying towards him, coolly stepping back and swatting them away.

The bees flew straight in Sadami's and my direction, causing the both of us to jump away from each other, but the bees kept coming for me.

"Why are they following me?!" I shrieked, ducking and faking to the right, then left and jumping sideways again. But the bees refused to leave me alone! _"Get them away from me!"_ I shouted, squeezing my eyes shut and sprinting across the soccer field while frantically waving away the bees.

"Hey, wait!" Kaito called after me, alarmed.

"Evans-san!" Sadami shouted.

But I wasn't paying the boys any mind. My main focus was putting as much distance between myself and the bees as quickly as possible. Because I had closed my eyes, I didn't see the soccer ball hurtling my way at top speed until it hit the side of my head, literally knocking me off my feet. Immediately, I blacked out, not even feeling myself hit the ground.

**NORMAL POV**

_Five minutes earlier…._

Kirihara Akaya ran down the field, kicking the ball forward while deftly evading players on the opposing team.

"Ha! You'll have to be quicker than that!" Kirihara taunted.

He raced toward the goal with the opposing players right on his heels. He pulled forward, creating distance between him and the others and crossing the half-way line. Kirihara smirked, determining he could make a clean shot easily from this distance. As he pulled back his right leg for a powerful kick, indiscernible shouts filled his ears, but he ignored them, focusing instead on the goal ahead. He kicked the ball, the black-and-white sphere rocketing towards the goal.

And that's when he saw her.

A girl, whose right shoulder was in a sling, had ran out onto the field, her head bowed and eyes closed while her left hand franticly swatted the air around her. Because her eyes were closed, she didn't see the impending soccer ball gunning her way at incredible speed. Kirihara opened his mouth to scream at the girl to watch out, but he was far too late. _BAM!_ The ball smacked the girl point blank in the right side of her head, the blow literally lifting her off her feet. She fell, hard, onto the astro turf ground on her side and lay unmoving.

"Aw, crap!" Kirihara cried, running forward along with the other players.

"Holy...! Is she alright?!"

"Oh, man, that looked _painful._ "

"Quick, check her pulse! Make sure she's still breathing!"

Panicked shouts saturated the air as a crowd formed around the fallen girl. Kaito and Sadami had already rushed onto the field, both of them stooped beside the unmoving figure, their expressions fearful.

"Oi, Evans-san, can you hear me?" Kaito asked, gently nudging the girl, but she remained unresponsive.

"Is she breathing?!" Sadami asked, his tone high-pitched.

Kaito checked the girl's pulse on her neck, relief flooding his features as he nodded. "Yeah, her pulse is strong. She's just knocked out cold."

"Hey, is she alright?" Kirihara asked, forcing his way through the crowd until he came into view. He stared down at the girl, his green eyes going wide in fear. "She's not...?"

"No, she's just unconscious," Kaito replied.

"What's going on over there?!" a sharp voice shouted, startling everyone.

The players parted to reveal a tall, masculine boy wearing a black cap, marching toward them, his expression severe and terrifying. Behind him, Yukimura Seiichi and Yanagi Renji calmly followed the intense vice-captain with Yukimura wearing a displeased frown while Yanagi appeared indifferent. Kaito and Sadami gulped, sharing terrified glances before dropping their gazes to the unmoving girl. As the trio approached, Sanada's eyes widened when he saw the unconscious girl.

"Evans-san?" Yukimura spoke before Sanada could.

Sanada turned to Yukimura. "You know her, Yukimura?"

"Yes, she's in my class," Yukimura replied, stepping forward and stooping beside Gracie.

"What happened?" Sanada demanded, glaring at Kaito and Sadami

The boys started speaking at once, their nervous voices overlapping.

"There was a bee—"

"She said she was deathly allergic—"

"She ran out onto the field in a panic—"

"Right now, the details are not important," Yanagi interrupted. "The girl needs medical attention."

"Renji's right," Yukimura agreed. He scooped up Gracie's body, carrying her bridal style and turning to Sanada. "Genichiro, keep watch of the others' practice while I take her to the infirmary."

Sanada nodded wordlessly while Yukimura walked away with the girl. Sanada turned to Kaito and Sadami, who immediately started, their faces paling in terror.

"U-um, we can expl—"

"Everyone fifty laps around the field!" Sanada commanded, cutting Kaito off.

"Yes, sir!"

Kaito and Sadami scrambled to their feet, hurrying away from the terrifying vice-captain.

"Do you think Evans-san will be alright?" Sadami asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I mean, she was breathing so that's a good sign, right?"

"I suppose so."

"Kaito! Sadami! Extra fifty laps for tardiness!" Sanada commanded.

"Whaaa? But how—?" Kaito gaped.

Sadami sighed. "I should have known better. Nothing gets past that guy."


	16. Amazing Psycho

Ugh, my head was pounding so hard I could barely think straight. I tried opening my eyes, but they wouldn't budge. A lemony scent filled my nose, instantly reminding me of the cleaning supplies Mom would use for the bathroom and kitchen at home, and I wrinkled my nose. I really hated the smell of lemons, and it did very little in helping with my headache.

"I suggest you rest that knee for the rest of this week, Amari-san, okay?" Kanzaki's gentle voice instructed.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you very much!" a female—Amari, I assumed—said happily.

"This could have been a lot worst. Take care you don't put too much pressure on it this week," Kanzaki said.

"Yes, we understand, Kanzaki-san. Thank you," a new voice—a female—said.

"Alright, then, take care," Kanzaki bid the girls goodbye, the door closing lightly.

Was I in the infirmary _again?!_ What happened for me to end up here this time? I tried recalling the memory, but my mind came up blank. The agonizing headache wasn't making it any easier to concentrate.

I could hear Kanzaki shuffling around and moving things, and I attempted to open my eyes again, this time succeeding. My eyes snapped open, immediately blinded by the harsh fluorescent lights, and I squeezed my eyes closed. The bright lights worsened my headache, making it unbearable.

 _"Ugh,"_ I groaned.

I reached up, grabbing my head, my palm brushing against something rough, and I realized it was a bandage wrapped around my head.

"Evans-san?" Kanzaki's gentle voice called beside me.

I opened my eyes a crack to limit the amount of light entering my eyes and saw Kanzaki peering down at me worriedly, her body blocking the overhead lights.

"Hey, Nurse Kanzaki," I greeted weakly.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Kanzaki asked.

"My head is paining me really bad," I muttered.

"Getting smacked by a ball going 80 miles per hour will do that to you," Kanzaki remarked, smiling.

"Smacked by a ball…?"

"Yes, you don't remember what happened?"

"I'm trying to but nothing's coming to mind," I answered.

"Hmm… well, what can you recall?" Kanzaki asked, going over to the drawers and taking out a notepad and pen before returning to me.

"I remember coming in here earlier for my separated shoulder," I said.

Kanzaki chuckled. "Yes, that happened two hours ago. Have you always been prone to accidents?"

"No, just prone to being unlucky," I muttered.

"Well, I'm sure your luck's about to change. What else can you recall?"

"I went to Oishii's to eat with some friends, got into a little spat with a jerk, ran away from said jerk, talked to my best friend and then… nothing; that's all I can remember," I said.

Kanzaki nodded. "Okay, so it seems you have retrograde amnesia, and all that means is you can't remember the event that happened prior to you getting knocked unconscious."

"Is it permanent?" I asked.

"Not always, no," Kanzaki replied, scribbling in her notepad. "But don't worry, there's a very good chance your memory will return. It's called spontaneous recovery, and it's exactly what it sounds like: your memory will return on its own. Seiichi-kun told me you were found unconscious on the soccer field. He wasn't there when it happened, but he believed you must have gotten hit in the head by a soccer ball, and like I said, a ball going 80 mph would certainly do the trick of giving amnesia and a nasty headache."

"Seiichi?"

"Yes, he's the one who carried you in here. He said you two were classmates," Kanzaki said, stuffing her notepad and pen in her pocket.

I didn't recall knowing anyone by the name of Seiichi, but then again, I barely knew any of my classmates' names.

Kanzaki smiled widely at me. "I don't know if I believe you when you say you're unlucky. To have four handsome boys carry you in here sounds more like good luck to me!"

I gaped at Kanzaki, my face taking on a deep tomato red. "F-four? I don't—"

"There was Kuranosuke-kun, Saeki-san, Kaoru-kun, and now Seiichi-kun," Kanzaki counted the names on her hand, her smile growing.

"I… I… I don't know what to say to that," I replied, sighing deeply.

Kanzaki chuckled. "I'm kidding, Evans-san. Are the lights bothering you too much?"

"They were, but now I can tolerate it," I replied.

"Good. How about your headache?"

"Still hurting like crazy, but it's not too bad."

Kanzaki nodded. "I don't believe you have a concussion. Advil or Tylenol should do the job in dulling your headache. Otherwise, I say take it easy for the rest of the day," Kanzaki said.

That was my original plan when I woke this morning, to just kick back and chill at the arcade all day long, but alas, I should've known better to think life would go my way for once.

"Thanks Kanzaki-san," I said, slowly climbing out of bed, not wanting to exacerbate my headache.

"It's no problem. Hopefully, I won't see you back so soon?" she asked, smiling.

"Here's to hoping," I replied, smiling in return.

"Hey, Gracie," An greeted when I entered the room. She was sitting at her desk while another girl sat on her bed, her attention fixed on her cellphone. She was about the same size and height as An with pale skin and short black hair tied in a high pony tail. An's eyes widened, and she jumped out of her chair, bounding toward me with a panicked expression. "Oh, my gosh, Gracie, what on earth happened to you?!" she demanded.

I winced, my head throbbing painfully, and I weakly waved her away. "It's a long, long, _long_ story," I said. "The nurse said I should take it easy for the rest of the day, so I plan to do just that." I trudged over to my desk with An following closely behind me, and opened the first drawer where a small bottle of Advil sat in the corner and plucked it up, handing it to An. "Could you open this for me?"

"Sure," An said, opening the bottle and returning it to me. "Do you think you could give me the short version of your story?" she asked.

"Let's see, I helped out some kids who were getting bullied, the bullies then paid me back by separating my shoulder, then I can't even tell you about my head injury because I can't remember at all what happened," I said, sighing heavily.

I threw two small, round pink pills in my mouth, and swallowed, handing the bottle to An so she could cap it.

"Oh, my gosh, so, what happened with the bullies?" An asked, capping the bottle and replacing it in the drawer, shutting it closed.

"I'll tell you the whole story once my headache subsides," I promised, trudging to my bed and flopping on top of it. "I've been on such an unlucky streak lately," I muttered.

"Hmph, you only get what you deserve," An's friend said lowly, but not too low that I didn't catch the comment.

I sat up, narrowing my eyes at the girl, who met my gaze, a smug grin on her face. "Excuse me?" I asked.

"It's clear karma is at play here. Treat others badly and you'll get punished in return," the girl replied.

"What are you talking about? You don't even know me, so how can you say I treat others badly?" I pointed at my sling. "I got this from _helping_ someone. Last I checked, helping people was a good thing."

The girl scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, please, I'm sure the injury was the result of some cruel deed you'd done a while back. You probably pushed someone down the stairs or something because they were in your way. You're a psycho, so I'll believe anything."

"Hitomi, what are you saying?!" An demanded, glaring at her friend. "Why are you talking so cruelly to Gracie?"

Hitomi scowled, hopping to her feet and pointing a finger in my direction. "You should have seen what she did to Atobe-sama! She's crazy! She cursed him out and dumped cake all over him! Look, she's now known as the Psycho Commoner," Hitomi said, pointing at her phone's screen.

I gaped when I saw my picture on the screen, and it was not a pleasant-looking photo. It was a photo of me yelling at Atobe with my finger jabbing at his chest and my face uncomfortably close to his. And, oh man, my face did not look pretty. I really wanted to think someone photoshopped the vicious expression displayed so clearly on my face, but I knew it was no trick. My face contorted into such a hideous scowl that I truly did not think I was capable of looking so pissed. I looked like I wanted to bite Atobe's head off, spit it out and burn the pieces.

But what was really getting to me was the fact that Atobe appeared helpless and frightened, which was a load of crock. Someone had taken the picture at just the perfect moment because from the picture, one would think _I_ was the one bullying Atobe while Atobe played the sweet, innocent victim.

"Whoa, whoa, time out!" I said, jumping to my own feet. Big mistake. My head pounded so painfully, I was about ready to pass out, but I stood my ground, glaring hotly at the outspoken girl. "That picture isn't telling the whole story. I didn't curse Atobe out. I simply told him off—"

"That's putting it mildly," Hitomi scoffed, crossing her arms. "And you're right, this picture doesn't tell the whole story but the video does," Hitomi said, queuing the video up on her phone and holding it up so An and I could see the screen clearly.

 _"It is a nice shirt!" I exploded, startling Atobe. "I know it's a nice shirt! I bought it because it's a nice shirt! I'm wearing it because it's so nice_! _" I spat. "So you rich people can either keep your snobby opinions to yourselves or kiss my commoner bum because I don't give a rat's butt what you think of me."_

Hitomi paused the video, smirking as if she'd proven some point. "Do you see what I mean when I say she's psycho? She snapped at Atobe-sama because he complimented on her shirt. Who does that?"

"Oh, shut up, you and I know fully well Atobe was not complimenting me. And why'd you pause the video? It's because you know I had a reason why I snapped on Atobe." I turned to An. "He humiliated this girl—"

"She deserved it!" Hitomi snapped.

"She _deserved_ it?!" I asked, incredulous. "For what? For confessing her feelings she _deserved_ to be _humiliated?!_ And you're calling _me_ psycho?"

"She should have known Atobe-sama wouldn't have accepted her confession. She's a cow, why would he?"

"So, you are psycho. Thank you for clearing that up for me."

"I don't care what you have to say about me, it's when you insult Atobe-sama that you cross the line. Forget about the girl, what did Atobe-sama do to _you?_ " Hitomi demanded, crossing toward me.

"Hitomi, calm down!" An tried calming her friend, stepping in front of her.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes before fixing an irritated gaze on the girl. "That dude has problems, and you do, too, if you truly believe I'm getting punished for standing up to a self-conceited, spoiled jerk," I said.

"You are just the rudest person! Keep it up, and something even worse might happen to you," Hitomi warned, smirking, her eyes glinting wickedly.

"That's enough, Hitomi," An said, glaring at her friend.

"I'd stay away from her, An. You don't want to get caught up in the trouble that's sure to happen to this psycho," Hitomi said.

"Yeah, _I'm_ the psycho," I muttered, shaking my head.

"Yes, _you_ are. If you have a problem with someone, you talk it out. You don't curse them out and dump cake on them!"

"Yeah? Well, if someone bakes you a cake and confesses her feelings to you, you don't trash the cake. You tell them you're not interested and move on with your day!" I snapped back. "I'm not the psycho here; you are for worshipping someone so cruel."

"You witch, who—"

"That is enough!" An shouted, marching past Hitomi and grabbing up a small, black purse, thrusting it out to Hitomi. "I think it's time for you to leave."

Hitomi grabbed her purse, casting one last harsh glare my way before stomping out the room, slamming the door behind her. The argument did not help with my increasingly agonizing headache. I marched to my bed, flopping on top of it and burying my face in the pillow.

"I'm so sorry for Hitomi's behavior. I don't know why she would say such things," An said.

I chuckled humorlessly, lifting my head up and turning to face An. "I do. She's crazy. She has to be if she's a fan of Jerk King," I said.

"So is the whole cursing out Atobe and dumping cake on him a part of your long story?" An asked.

"I didn't curse him out. I told him off. And I didn't dump cake on him. I flung a relatively small piece of cake at his face," I said. "And, yes, it is. You haven't seen the video?"

"The video Hitomi showed us? No," An said, shaking her head. "Besides, I think I'd rather hear you out first."

"Aww, you don't think I'm some psychopath?"

An sighed, shaking her head. "Of course not. So? Are you going to share or not?"

After thinking for a moment, I shrugged my shoulders.

"Yeah, I'll share."

After telling An all that's happened, she had a worried look on her face.

"Now, I understand what Hitomi meant," An said.

"What?! You're siding with that awful chick?! I mean, I know she's your friend and all, but still, she was _way_ out of line—"

"No, no, I'm talking about when Hitomi warned me to stay away from you because I'll get caught up in some trouble with you. I was confused when she said that because I was wondering if she was still talking about karma, but now I know it's something else entirely." An sighed, concern and fear evident on her face. "Before I came here, oni-chan warned me to be careful of who I upset because some students' families are big time politicians, lawyers, doctors, celebrities and even royalty."

"Royalty?!" I squeaked.

An nodded. "Yeah, there are some students here who are next in line for the throne in some countries."

"And they're here in Japan?" I asked, dubious.

An shrugged. "It just goes to show Ryogoku is a pretty amazing school."

"Right… amazing…."

"Anyway, my point is Ryogoku is not like any other high school where you do whatever you want to whoever you want; if you mess with the wrong person, not only will you be looking at some dire consequences, but your family will, too," An said.

My eyes widened in surprise, and my heart skipped a beat when I heard this. "My family…?"

An nodded, her face solemn. "It actually happened to a really good friend of oni-chan's. It wasn't his fault, either. There was this guy who would constantly mess with his girlfriend so he approached the guy and asked him if he could leave his girlfriend alone. The next thing he knew, his parents were both out of jobs and, because of that, he could no longer attend the school since his parents could no longer afford it."

"And you really think the guy that messed with his girlfriend was behind the parents losing their jobs?"

"Yes, because before oni-chan's friend said anything, everything was going extremely well for his parents. Plus, students were alienating him, as if he was the one in the wrong," An said, clenching her fists.

"How… how is he and his family now?"

An sighed, unclenching her fists, her face sad. "His parents now run a mom-and-pop grocery store, and he works there part-time to help."

"Really? What did the parents do before?"

"His father was a brain surgeon while his mom was CEO of Playdom."

"Playdom the _toy company?!_ " Playdom was an extremely successful and popular Japanese toy company that constantly won awards for their toys. I still had a few of their toys tucked somewhere in the attic. "How—"

"I don't know how the guy did it, but he did, which just proves my point. The students are not your run-of-the-mill students," An said.

To go from being a brain surgeon and CEO of a popular and successful company to running a small business that had absolutely nothing to do with the previous occupations was so mind boggling, I had to sit down. I plopped on my bed and stared blankly at the ground, thinking about my own parents. Dad owned a dry cleaners while Mom was a nurse. Not that their jobs were mediocre, but if they were to receive such a downgrade as the unfortunate guy's parents….

"I have to call my parents," I said, rummaging through my purse and pulling out my phone.

"What are you going to tell them?" An asked.

"I don't know. What can I tell them? 'Hey Mom and Dad, because I just couldn't mind my own business, there's a real possibility we're going to end up homeless, but other than that, school is going just peachy!'"

"You could go for the sarcastic approach, or you could actually apologize to Atobe," An suggested.

"Sarcastic approach it is," I said, dialing my house phone number. An grabbed the phone, stepping back and keeping it out of reach. "Hey!" I said, jumping to my feet. "What are you doing?"

"Gracie, you got to think reasonably here. Which is more important to you: your pride or your parents?"

"If my parents hadn't sent me to this stupid school in the first place, I wouldn't have—"

"You're not answering the question," An interrupted, crossing her arms and gazing sternly at me. "Which is more important?"

I stood quietly for a moment, glowering at the polished wooden floor and wishing with all my might I could burn a hole through it. After what seemed like forever, I muttered, "My parents."

"Well, then, you know what to do," An said, uncrossing her arms and tossing my phone to me.

I easily caught it, sighing heavily as I sunk onto my bed.

"How do you even know an apology would even work?" I asked, doubtful.

"You're not the first person to cross Atobe. Many have transferred out because that seemed easier, but others apologized to the guy and all was forgiven… sort of," An said, looking sideways.

"What do you mean 'sort of'?!" I demanded. "If an apology doesn't work, then I refuse to—"

"Apologizing does work, it's just, you will still be seen as an outcast. Students will still bully you, but on the bright side, your friends and family would remain unharmed," An said, smiling faintly.

"Yay," I said dully.


	17. Amazing Revulsion

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

**I want to thank my Jesus for helping me with this chapter because I literally couldn't do it without Him :) No, seriously, I have ideas as to how I want this story to go, but I'm having trouble connecting the ideas, but in Jesus name it will all work out! :D**

**Chapter Seventeen: Amazing Revulsion**

Late Sunday morning, I woke to an empty room, remembering An saying she was going to spend the day with her family. I yawned, glancing at my alarm clock through bleary eyes to see it was almost noon. I swung my legs over the bed and peered outside to see today was another beautiful day. The dull ache in my head and contrasting sharp pain from my shoulder reminded me of yesterday's events, and I groaned loudly, standing to my feet and taking some Advil before shuffling to the shower.

Yesterday, I called my parents, but ended up not telling them anything about Atobe or the messes I gotten myself into. I figured since I planned on apologizing to the Jerk King, there was no need to alarm them.

Once I finished showering, I got dressed, sporting a short-sleeved red and black plaid shirt with faded blue cut off jean shorts and plain white sneakers. My stomach growled, telling me it was time to head down to the cafeteria, so I grabbed my phone and room keys, stuffing my phone in my pocket and heading out the room, locking it behind me.

Only a handful of people were in the cafeteria. I stepped in line, grabbing a plate and hungrily eyeing the scrumptious food put out on display. After getting my food, I headed for an empty table when a tall guy crossed my path, flicking my tray up and spilling the food onto my clothes.

"Hey!" I shrieked, staring down at my clothes in horror. I snapped my head up to meet the guy's smug gaze and scowled. "What is your problem?!"

"What is _your_ problem?" the guy snapped back. "You were way out of line with Atobe-san!"

_Oh, give me a break, not another fan,_ I thought, rolling my eyes.

"Who are you rolling your eyes at, huh?" the guy demanded, stepping forward.

I remained in place, glaring up at the fellow, not at all intimidated. "What are you going to do, beat me up? Here, I'll give you my good arm," I said, turning and exposing my left side.

The guy smirked. "Ooh, so you are a brave one. You know, if it wasn't for the fact that you were on Atobe-san's list, I could totally see the two of us—"

"I'd rather eat garbage," I deadpanned.

"Well, that can be arranged."

_"Let me go!"_ I shrieked as two boys carried me to one of the trash bins.

One boy stood near the bin, appearing delighted as he held the bin's cover.

"As you wish!" the guy said, grinning.

"No, no, no! Don't—!"

The boys shoved me into the receptacle head first, and I immediately wanted to pass out from the smell and grossness. I kicked my legs backward, shrieking when the can toppled back and slammed hard to the ground. I crawled out of the can, gagging as I picked off half eaten chicken bones, browned lettuce and other unidentifiable food bits out of my hair and clothes. I was covered head to toe in gunk, the abhorrent smell bringing back my headache and making me want to hurl.

"Ew, how gross!"

"It's fitting. Girls like her are nothing but trash!"

Derisive comments and laughter filled the cafeteria as I got to my feet and marched toward the exit. I noticed some students with their phones trained on me, and I quickened my step, passing by a group of cackling girls who pinched their noses and wrinkled their faces in disgust.

"You reek!" one of the girls said. She smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Let me help you with that."

She grabbed a nearby tall cup, flinging ice cold water at my face. I gasped, stumbling back and sputtering while the girls and other students laughed even harder.

"Well, that didn't seem to help any. Maybe a few more cups of water would do the trick?" another girl asked, smiling wickedly.

Uh-oh. I bolted away from the girls, feeling splashes of freezing water on my back. The weight of the garbage made it difficult to move, but eventually I made it outside, the ridicule of my peers fading behind me.

After the incident in the cafeteria, I returned to my room, earning nasty glares and comments on the way. Finally entering my room, I removed my clothes, taking my cell phone out of my shorts before tossing the shorts and shirt into the wastebasket because I didn't believe I could successfully wash out the stench and stains. I huffed, grabbing a towel from my closet and marching into the bathroom to take a nice long, hot shower. When I finished, I stepped out of the bathroom, the steam rolling into the room, and I sighed in satisfaction. It took an hour, but I had to make sure every part of me was gunk and odor free. I cracked both windows wide open, allowing the cool breeze to fill the room and dispel the gross smell emanating from my clothes.

I opened my closet, shifting through the outfits before pulling out a pale yellow T-shirt with a winking smiley face and dark blue capris that stopped just above my knees. Once I got dressed, I stood in front of the vanity dresser, admiring myself in the mirror when my gaze dropped to my cell phone where ranch dressing smeared the sides and screen. I scoffed in disgust, going into the bathroom for some disinfecting wipes. Emerging from the bathroom, I scrubbed my phone down when it rang, Yasumi's number flashing on the screen. Removing one last spot of dressing, I tossed the wipe in the trash before answering the phone.

"Hey, Yasumi," I greeted.

"Hey, girl! Happy Sunday!"

"You sound cheery," I noted.

"That's because I am! Yuki and I are going on a date today!" Yasumi squealed.

"Oh, my gosh, seriously?!"

"Yes, me, Yuki, Ichizo, Nami, Setsuko, Izumo—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, just how many people are going to be on this date of yours?" I asked.

"Hmm… it depends. For now, it's ten people, but if Maya and Shino decide to come along that's twelve. But if Shino comes, Izumo might not want to come along, so then it might be eleven, but if Izumo decides not to come, Setsuko—"

"So, it's not a date between you and Yuki after all, it's more like a group of friends hanging out," I interrupted.

"Okay, no, it's not a _date_ date, but this group thing has the potential to be one! All I have to do is get him alone from the group and voilà, it's a date!"

"If you say so, Yasumi."

"Hmph, shouldn't you be happier for me? The fact that Yuki asked me to hang out with him and his friends is pretty big."

"You're right. I'm sorry. You know I'm rooting for you two," I said, smiling.

"Thank you! Now, what have you been up to since yesterday? Has the bullying begun yet?"

"Oh, yeah," I replied, plopping on my bed.

"Oh, no, what happened?"

I told her the cafeteria debacle along with what An told me yesterday. "Oh, my gosh, I knew it! It's only going to get worse from here, Gracie! Oh, man, do you really think Atobe would go after your parents?"

"The guy wants me gone, and he'll do whatever he can to achieve that pathetic goal. So, yeah, I do."

"Then you know what you have to do."

"Yes, yes, I know I gotta apologize to the sleezebag. I've already decided I'm doing that," I huffed.

"When?"

"When hell freezes over," I muttered.

"Gracie!"

"I'm kidding! Geez, I plan on doing it sometime today."

"How about right now? I know how you love to procrastinate."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, sighing.

"So, do you really think an apology will do it?"

"I don't know, but what choice do I have? If it means the guy will leave my parents alone, then I'll just swallow my pride and do it. Simple as that."

"Right, simple as that. Especially since your pride is as big as the ocean," Yasumi snickered.

"Oh, shut up, Yasumi. Anyways, remember when I said don't say anything to my parents until Wednesday?"

"Commence plan?"

"I'm leaving it up to you."

"Alright, you can count on me!"

"Glad to hear it, and good luck on your group date thing," I said before hanging up.

I tucked my phone in my pocket, heading over to my desk and studying the novels that were neatly stacked binder to binder on it. I hadn't been able to get any reading done since school started because of S class, but now that I no longer cared about completing assignments or studying for tests, I could just chill and read to my heart's content. I grabbed the novel I was currently reading and went for my bed when something clattered behind me, startling me. I twisted my head back to see a small, black ball, no bigger than a tennis ball, blinking with bright, colorful lights. Huh?

Another small, black ball flew through the window on An's side, bouncing on the hardwood floor before rolling to a stop, its body also blinking with bright, colorful lights. Immediately, fear struck my heart with the word _BOMB_ flashing through my head. I cast the book aside, dashing for the door when both balls detonated. Plumes of thick, black smoke pervaded the entire room, filling my vision and lungs. I gagged, crumpling to my knees and smacking a hand over my nose, trying my absolute best to block the horrendous stench. Stink bombs! They were stinkin' stink bombs! Well, if it had to be a bomb of some kind, I'd happily take the stinky kind.

_"Uck!"_ I choked, tears streaming down my face.

It smelled so _bad!_ Just imagine the worst possible smell and times that by a thousand! It felt like I was in the garbage can all over again. A wave of nausea flowed over me, my stomach churning as I crawled toward the door, throwing it open and clambering into the cool, stench-free hallway. I leaned my body against the wall, gulping in as much clean air as I could before peering behind me and stared in wide-eyed horror when I saw the black smoke spilling into the hall because of the open windows. The stupid wind was blowing the smoke _inside!_

A door to my right opened and a slim girl stepped out, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"What the heck is that awful _smell?!_ " she demanded. She saw me and narrowed her eyes, pinching her nose and scowling at me. "You… you're Garbage Girl, aren't you?"

I hate the internet. Is that what I'm going to be known for the rest of my high school life? Garbage Girl?

"Ugh, just because you are trash doesn't mean you have to _smell_ like one. Oh, I think I'm going to be sick," the girl muttered.

Before I could retort, several more doors opened and girls poured out of their rooms, complaining of the disgusting smell.

"It smells so _gross!_ "

"My eyes are burning!"

"It's coming from Garbage Girl's room!"

"Well, that makes sense. She does sleep in her own filth."

The hallway was congested with irritated girls keeping their distance from me while glaring hard at me with their noses plugged.

"What is going on here?" a commanding voice cut through the noise.

To my right, the crowd of girls parted, revealing a tall, slim beautiful young woman with healthy pale skin and short black hair that stopped at her chin with dark blue highlights matching her piercing dark blue eyes. She wore a long, electric blue T-shirt with waves at the end and khaki capris. I recognized the girl as third year Kuramoto Eri, the resident assistant. Eri stopped a few inches in front of me, her face stern as she glanced inside my room where the smoke had dissipated significantly but wisps of smoke were still present. She fixed a steely gaze on me, appearing totally unfazed by the abhorrent stench.

"Evans-san, care to tell me why my floor smells like crap?" Eri asked in a subdued tone.

"It's not my fault! Someone threw stink bombs into my room!" I replied, scrambling to my feet.

Eri raised an eyebrow while murmurs filled the hallway. This irritated the RA.

"Alright, you've seen enough. Unless you want to receive punishment, too, I suggest you go about your business," Eri warned.

Slowly, the hallway cleared as girls returned to their rooms, sneering at me as they did so.

"Punishment? I'm getting punished for something I didn't do?" I asked, incredulous.

Eri sighed and shook her head, her stern expression replaced with a sympathetic one. "I know you're not behind the stink bombs. I also know you're Atobe's new victim."

"So… you're used to these kinds of things happening?"

Eri lightly snorted, a faint smile on her face. "Used to them? I was a victim of Atobe's my first year."

I gaped at the RA. "R-really?!"

Eri sighed. "Yes, and it was the absolute worst year of my life. Atobe really doesn't play around. You mess with him, you will definitely regret it." I studied the girl, still not believing it. Eri was a fairly popular person with boys and girls alike. She looked like a freakin' super model, so it was no wonder. "You're wondering if I'm telling the truth, right?" Eri asked, a knowing smile on her face.

"Yeah, it's just, from what I heard, there are only two ways of appeasing the Jerk King: transferring out or apologizing," I said.

"Obviously, I did the latter, but Atobe won't accept just any apology. You pretty much have to humiliate yourself before he forgives you," Eri said.

Ugh. I knew a simple apology wouldn't be enough for that egotistical jerk.

"Okay, but I also heard that students would still bully you even if Atobe forgave you," I said.

"It's true, which is why my first year was the worst. But by the next year, most of the students have moved on to their next prey," Eri explained.

I groaned. "So, you're saying I'm pretty much screwed for the rest of this year?"

Eri smiled sympathetically. "Who knows? You might be luckier than me."

Fat. Chance.

"What a mess," I muttered, entering my room and momentarily forgetting about the horrendous stench until it hit me full force when I crossed the threshold. _"Ugh!"_ I gasped, covering my nose and backpedaling from the room.

"Yeah, unless you have a gas mask, I suggest you stay out of your room until it airs out," Eri advised.

"And how long will that take?"

"Judging from the smell… about five hours," Eri guessed.

"Is that how long it took when they bombed you?"

"Longer, actually. Five hours is when it becomes barely tolerable," Eri said.

"You know what, maybe I am getting punished for some evil deed I'd done sometime ago because whenever I do something _good_ something _bad_ happens." I pointed at my sling. "I got this from saving some kids from some bullies. Then the whole Atobe thing happened because I stood up to the guy when he humiliated a girl who confessed to him. I can understand him rejecting her, but he didn't have to be cruel about it. The actual thought of apologizing to that egotistical spoiled 'king' makes me sicker than the stink bomb smell," I muttered.

"I'm with you, but," Eri shrugged, "you gotta do what you gotta do to survive in this world, and by world, I mean Ryogoku Academy," Eri said, smiling.

"Yeah… thanks Eri-san," I said, bowing to her.

"No problem. Just let me know if you need any help with anything, even if it's to vent about a certain… Jerk King," Eri said.

"I just might take you up on that very soon," I said.


	18. Amazing Deal

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

**Brace yourself, it's a long one**

**Chapter Eighteen: Amazing Deal**

Seeing as how my room was now uninhabitable for the next five hours, I decided to head for the library to check out the manga selection. I called An, telling her what happened, and she pretty much said the same thing as Yasumi: I needed to apologize to Atobe and quick. I decided I would apologize to Atobe when I wasn't so pissed.

Upon arriving to the library by bus, I stared up at the grand building, an excited smile tugging at my lips. I loved libraries. I don't care how nerdy that sounded. Libraries were the places I ran to when I wanted to escape from the real world and its problems. Back home, when I didn't have money for the arcade, I would spend the entire day reading fictional books and manga.

My local and middle school libraries were sparse in their manga selection, so I really hoped Ryogoku's library fared better. Entering the building, I scanned the area, loving the expansiveness of the floor. To my left was a designated computer area and rows upon rows upon rows of bookshelves with the sign, 'NONFICTION,' hanging above them.

"Do you need any help, miss?" a woman asked me.

I looked to my right to see a middle aged woman with long black hair and black eyes, her mouth curled in a kind smile, standing behind a curved desk.

"Um, yes, is there a manga section?" I asked, approaching the woman.

"Yes, it's on the fourth floor," the woman answered. "I'm afraid our elevators are out of order, so you'll have to take the stairs," the woman said, pointing in the back corner where a black metal door stood.

"Okay, thank you!"

"You're welcome," the woman called after me.

When I reached the fourth floor, I gasped at the countless number of manga books, occupying the seemingly endless rows of twelve foot bookshelves. There was a reading corner decked out with black and blue bean bag chairs, couches and anime themed designs, such as Pokéball pillows for the couches and posters of different anime characters on the wall. For the first time since I arrived at this school, I felt so… happy. The fact that I was the only person on this floor added to my happiness. I wanted to scream for pure joy.

_Oh, man, where do I even start?_ I wondered, gazing giddily at the bookshelves. _I wonder if they have Kuroko's Basketball._ I wandered in the K section, searching for the manga and squealing when I found it on the topmost shelf. "Wow, it's all twenty seven volumes!" I muttered, grinning.

It seemed the next five hours wouldn't be too bad at all, thank God. I went in search for a stool, but the only thing I could find was a metal ladder propped against a bookshelf in the Z section. Due to one arm out of commission, there was no way I could safely climb the ladder; or I probably could, but given my recently unlucky streak, I didn't plan on taking any chances.

_That's okay. I can just ask the librarian to help me,_ I resolved, turning around to head for the stairs.

"Do you need any help, miss?" a tall, young boy with purple hair and glasses asked.

"Yah!" I screamed, jumping back and staring wide-eyed at the dude. _What the?! Where'd he come from?! I could have sworn I was alone on this floor. I mean, I didn't even hear the metal door close._

The boy pushed up his glasses, the lens glinting under the bright, fluorescent lights.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to sneak up on you. I assumed you heard me."

"I-I didn't, but you're fine. I get scared pretty easily," I said, waving dismissively.

The boy nodded. "So? Do you need any assistance? I saw you walking around like you were looking for something."

"Um, yeah, a stool. I can't really use a ladder," I said, gesturing to my sling.

"You need to reach a book from a high shelf, correct? I can help you with that," the boy offered, stepping past me.

"Really? Thank you very much!" I said, grinning.

"It's no problem. What section is it?"

"K." The boy rolled the ladder to the K section, and I directed him to the location of the books. "Thank you again for this, um…."

"Yagyuu Hiroshi," the boy supplied.

I nodded, smiling. "Thank you for helping me out, Yagyuu-san," I said. "I'm Gracie Evans. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Evans-san. What book did you want?"

"Kuroko's Basketball. It's right up there," I said, pointing.

"Okay, I see it," Yagyuu said, nodding.

"Yes, all twenty seven volumes," I said.

"You're an avid manga reader?" Yagyuu asked.

"Definitely. This is my first time visiting the school's library and their manga selection is just mind blowing. I mean, the libraries back home would have such a pathetic selection," I said.

"I understand what you mean. I'm more of a detective novel nut myself and, like you, the local libraries' mystery selections were mediocre at best." Yagyuu smiled faintly. "They have an entire floor devoted to mystery novels. It's on the sixth floor."

"Really? I'm a fan of mystery novels myself," I said. "I'm currently reading _Atwell: Beyond the Burning Lake_."

"I've recently finished that book. I won't say much more before I unintentionally spoil anything for you," Yagyuu said.

"Are you a huge Atwell fan?"

"I wouldn't say a _huge_ fan, but I'm certainly fond of the series. But if you enjoy reading Atwell, then you'll certainly enjoy Amos Indell. It's about artificial intelligences taking over as detectives. I can't share much more without spoiling major plot points."

I smiled widely. "Well, if you're recommending it, I'll definitely check it out."

"They also created a show based on the books if you prefer that. The show's pretty good, but I definitely suggest reading the books," Yagyuu recommended, climbing up the ladder, the ladder squeaking and groaning under his weight.

"Yeah, the books are usually better," I said, nodding.

It was _so_ nice to finally chat with someone without the harsh comments and judgment. I had to wonder if the guy hadn't seen the video and pictures, or maybe he has and is actually nice? While I pondered this, a faint, yet distinctive _squeak squeak_ interrupted my thoughts, sending shivers and fear of dread throughout my body. The sound came from behind me, and I absolutely refused to look back because if that sound was what I thought it was….

_Squeak squeak._

Holy crap, it was getting closer!

_M-maybe someone's hamster got loose,_ I rationalized, praying to God it wasn't the alternative as I very slowly craned my neck around. Because no way could this wealthy, snob-nosed, uppity school actually have…. _"Rat!"_ I screamed.

The fattest, blackest rat I've ever seen scurried towards me, its crimson eyes glowing hotly. I screamed the bloodiest scream I could muster, jumping back and knocking into the metal ladder. The ladder tilted sharply to the side with Yagyuu yelping and dropping the books he was holding in favor of grabbing onto the bookshelf's ledge. The ladder clattered noisily to the tiled ground, and I whirled around and glanced up, gasping sharply when I saw Yagyuu dangling from the shelf.

"Oh, my gosh, Yagyuu-san, I'm so sorry! Let me get the ladder—"

_Squeak squeak._

I whipped my head around to see the rat gaining speed and closing the distance.

"Oh, my gosh, no! Leave me _alone!_ " I screamed, squeezing my eyes shut and kicking the rat as hard as I could.

"Whoa!" Yagyuu cried, losing his grip and plunging backwards.

I was too caught up with the fact that I had actually kicked a rat to notice Yagyuu plummeting towards me until the last minute when I glanced up and saw his falling body. I didn't have time to cry out, much less move when he crashed on top of me. The two of us toppled backward, crashing to the ground with my head slamming against the ground. Bright, colorful spots danced in my view, and I blinked several times, attempting to eradicate the spots, but my vision grew increasingly hazy until finally darkness claimed my sight.

**NORMAL POV**

_Five minutes earlier…._

"Well, if you're recommending it, I'll definitely check it out."

"They also created a show based on the books if you prefer that. The show's pretty good, but I definitely suggest reading the books," Yagyuu recommended, climbing up the ladder, the ladder squeaking and groaning under his weight.

"Yeah, the books are usually better," Gracie said, nodding.

_This girl is nowhere near as bad as the rumors say, but then again those rumors were founded on Ryogoku's Corner,_ Yagyuu thought.

Ryogoku's Corner was a social networking site exclusive to the school where students could upload pictures and videos while other students commented. The site was originally designed for students to promote their clubs and organizations, seek tutoring help, connect with teachers and fellow classmates, establish study groups, etc. If anyone posted anything unrelated to academics, the post was removed. As one would imagine, the site completely flopped with no one, not even teachers, wanting to take part until someone hacked the site, completely revamping the site's design and transforming it so that it became a gossip site instead. The site's popularity literally grew overnight, becoming so popular, the administration decided to keep it.

Right now, Gracie was trending as 'Garbage Girl the Psycho Commoner,' a whole page dedicated to her with students speaking wickedly about her and conspiring in eliminating her from school. Yagyuu watched the video of Gracie snapping at Atobe and did not see what all the commotion was about. It seemed Atobe was the one at fault, yet Gracie was branded evil while Atobe played the victim. Yagyuu witnessed several students stand up against Atobe, none of whom actually succeeded in maintaining their ground. They either transferred out or got on all fours and begged the king for forgiveness. Despite his peers' opinions, Gracie seemed like a nice enough girl. It was such a shame she might not stick around much longer, he would have invited her to his book club. Maybe he still could….

Yagyuu reached the top of the ladder, plucking as many books he could manage to carry down when he heard it. _Squeak squeak._ Yagyuu paused, not sure if his ears were fooling him.

_It must have been the ladder because the likelihood of a rodent in the library is practically nonexistent,_ Yagyuu reasoned.

Not only did the school pride itself on its remarkable success rate, it also highly esteemed itself on cleanliness, which was why Yagyuu couldn't believe the sound came from a rat.

_Squeak squeak._

And, yet, that was undoubtedly a rat's squeal. Yagyuu glanced to his right, fighting back disgust when he saw the fattest rat he'd ever seen scampering in their direction. It moved at an incredible pace for a rat its size.

Before Yagyuu could react, Gracie screamed, _"Rat!"_ and released an earsplitting scream, causing Yagyuu's ears to ring. She jumped back, knocking into the ladder with such great force, the ladder tilted sharply to the side.

"Crap!" Yagyuu yelped, instinctively dropping the books and reaching both hands out, latching onto the top shelf as the ladder clattered noisily to the ground.

Yagyuu gazed below, only now realizing how high up he was and sighed heavily, his gaze flicking to the rat, which advanced at an impossibly fast pace towards Gracie despite its bulky weight.

"Oh, my gosh, Yagyuu-san, I'm so sorry! Let me get the ladder—" Gracie started when the rat interrupted her.

_Squeak squeak._

Gracie whipped around, the rat now within arm's length of her. "Oh, my gosh, no! Leave me _alone!_ " she screamed, squeezing her eyes shut and kicking the rat as hard as she could.

Yagyuu's eyes widened as he watched the rat soar through the air before crash landing and sliding on the ground until it came to a complete stop. The rat had landed on its back, and Yagyuu's eyes flashed in irritation, his suspicions confirmed. He had to get down. Yagyuu started climbing down, using the shelves as footholds when one shelf succumbed under the weight of his right foot, and he lost his hold, plummeting backwards.

"Whoa!" Yagyuu cried.

Gracie had her left arm wrapped around her sling, standing frozen and oblivious to the plummeting boy until the last minute when she glanced up in time for Yagyuu to crash on top of her, both of them toppling backward and crashing, hard, to the ground. Yagyuu was relieved the fall didn't hurt nearly as bad as he feared; in fact, it didn't hurt at all, but he knew the reason for that…. Yagyuu rolled off Gracie, glancing at her and wincing when he saw she was unconscious. A fear of dread formed in the pit of his stomach as he scooted closer to the unconscious girl.

"Evans-san? Evans-san," Yagyuu called softly, gently shaking her, but the girl remained unstirred.

He checked the pulse on her neck, sighing in relief when he felt her pulse steady and strong. Footsteps hurried towards him and Yagyuu glanced up to see his best friend, Niou Masaharu rushing toward him, his face panicky.

"Ah, crap, is she alright?" Niou asked.

Yagyuu pushed up his glasses, the lens glinting sharply. "Does she look alright to you Niou-kun?" he asked quietly.

Niou muttered curses, kneeling beside Gracie and shaking her a bit roughly.

"Hey, wake up! Come on, I know you can hear me!" Niou said.

"Actually, there's a very good chance that she _can't_ hear you, and stop shaking her! She might have a head injury, and you shaking her like that might worsen it," Yagyuu scolded.

"Ah, crap, I can't believe this happened," Niou muttered, raking a hand through his hair.

"What, that a prank of yours would actually end up hurting someone? It was only a matter of time," Yagyuu remarked.

"It was a harmless prank! It was just a toy rat on wheels, there's nothing dangerous about that," Niou protested.

"And, yet, we have an unconscious girl."

"You know, technically, _you_ were the one who fell on top of the girl, knocking her out," Niou said.

"Because _you're_ the one who scared her half to death, causing her to bump into the ladder, which caused me to fall on top of her," Yagyuu snapped.

"You're right, you're right," Niou relented, sighing. "In the end it's clear that the girl's at fault here. She should have seen the rat was fake."

Yagyuu sighed heavily, counting backwards from ten in his head before speaking. "You know… a rat scare is pretty uninventive," he said.

Niou shrugged. "What can I say? Sometimes, simple and boring is the way to go."

"Yes, but with you, things are never simple _or_ boring," Yagyuu remarked, studying his friend suspiciously. Niou averted his gaze to the side, not replying. "Niou-kun—"

"I may have pulled this prank as a favor to a friend," Niou said, still averting his gaze.

"Well, that's not unheard of," Yagyuu said, glancing down at Gracie before flicking his gaze back at an increasingly guilty-looking Niou. "Seeing as how the victim of this prank was Evans-san, I can only assume this friend of yours is Atobe-kun, correct?" Niou didn't reply, and Yagyuu sighed. "Since when did you pull pranks for Atobe?"

"Since two hours ago when Atobe asked me." Niou shrugged. "I was bored, and I thought why not?"

"Well, thanks to your needing to entertain yourself, a girl's unconscious."

"I don't need you to remind me. I can see her right there," Niou snapped.

"I'm just saying you had better hope she's not seriously injured—"

"Wait, wait, she's moving!" Niou interrupted, staring wide-eyed at the stirring girl.

Yagyuu dropped his gaze to Gracie, whose face remained still while her left arm twitched.

"Evans-san?" Yagyuu called.

Gracie's eyes fluttered open, squeezing them shut before cracking them open again, her expression pained.

"Ugh, what happened?" Gracie asked groggily.

"I'm afraid I lost my grip and fell on top of you. I'm truly sorry about that," Yagyuu said.

"No, it's not your fault," Gracie said, struggling to sit up when she saw Niou. "Who are you?"

"I was on the fourth floor when I heard you scream and came to check out what happened," Niou replied.

Gracie's eyes snapped open as she swiveled her head back and forth. "I screamed because there was a rat."

"A rat? Hmm, that doesn't sound right," Niou said. "Are you sure it was a rat?"

Yagyuu stared pointedly at Niou as if to say, "What are you doing?"

Niou paid him no mind, however, keeping his gaze fixed on Gracie. "Ryogoku boasts in its cleaning staff, so the chance of you seeing a rat—"

"No, it was a rat," Gracie said, shaking her head. "I know a rat when I see one. What about you, Yagyuu-san? Did you get a look of the rat?" Gracie asked, turning to Yagyuu.

"As unlikely as it may seem, yes, I did see the rat," Yagyuu replied, pushing up his glasses.

"Well, it's long gone now, so no point in getting hung up on it," Niou said quickly. "Let's focus on you. Can you stand?"

"Yeah, I just have a wicked headache," Gracie said. Niou and Yagyuu helped her to her feet, and she flashed them both a bright smile. "Thanks, and I'm so sorry for giving you so much trouble Yagyuu-san. You were trying to help me, and instead you almost got killed."

"That's a bit dramatic. I would have sprained something at the most," Yagyuu said. "But forget about me, you're the one who actually passed out. Perhaps you should see the nurse?"

"No way," Gracie spoke quickly. "I mean, I'm fine. It's just a headache."

"Head injuries shouldn't be taken lightly. A headache might indicate an underlying problem," Yagyuu said seriously.

"If the girl says she's fine, then she's fine," Niou said.

"Niou-kun, I hardly think you should be the one to say—"

Gracie's cellphone rang, cutting Yagyuu off. "Excuse me," she said, taking her phone out. "Hello?"

"Gracie, are you okay?!" Tomoka's shrill voice blasted through the speakers.

"Tomoka, hey, wait one second." Gracie lowered the phone, bowing to both boys. "Thank you for your help. I really, really appreciate it. I'll just get the books another time," Gracie said, walking to where the stairs were found.

"Okay, but I really advise you go to the infirmary if any other symptoms, aside from headaches, appear," Yagyuu called after the girl.

Gracie nodded, smiling. "Okay, I'll do that. Thank you!" Gracie waved, disappearing around the bookshelves.

"She's pretty nice for a psycho," Niou remarked.

"Don't tell me you believe the junk on that stupid site," Yagyuu sighed.

Niou shrugged. "You have to be an empty-headed dimwit to believe the crap posted on there."

"So, if you believe the girl is innocent, why prank her for Atobe?"

"I told you, I was bored; had nothing better to do," Niou replied.

"Well, hopefully this incident will serve as a warning to you," Yagyuu said.

"Puri~ you think after one prank gone bad, I'll suddenly go straight? Hiroshi, do you not know me at all?"

"It was wishful thinking."

"More like foolish thinking."

"Yes, your so called harmless prank almost killing a person has me foolishly thinking you would reconsider pranking others. How stupid of me to think that way," Yagyuu said, shaking his head.

"So long as you understand," Niou replied, smirking.

**GRACIE'S POV**

My head pounded so dang badly, I barely made it down the three flights of stairs. No, seriously, my vision kept swimming in and out, I had to pause a few times. I knew I should see Kanzaki, but I bothered that woman enough already. Besides, It's nothing a nice nap couldn't cure. I finally made it to the first floor, bidding the librarian goodbye as I left the building. When I stepped outside, the sun blinded me, and I yelped, backpedaling inside.

"Ugh," I groaned.

Okay, let's try that again. Shielding my eyes, I stepped outside, keeping my gaze low. The brightness exacerbated my headache, but I ignored the pain (or tried to, anyway), lifting the phone to my ear.

"Sorry about that, Tomoka. To answer your question, I'm alive. Why do you sound so panicked?"

"Sakuno and I saw all the horrible things about you on Ryogoku's Corner!" Tomoka replied. "Is it true your room was stink bombed?!"

"Yes. Wait, Ryogoku's… Corner?" I repeated, confused.

"Yeah, it's this gossip site. There's a whole page dedicated to you and everything! People are calling you psycho commoner and garbage girl. The comments are horrible! The video of your blowout with Atobe, you getting dunked into a trash can and now the thing about the stink bombs are all posted on the page," Tomoka said.

I sighed. "Yeah, I already know I'm hated by the whole school."

"Horio and the guys told us what happened, and I want you to know, Gracie, Sakuno and I completely support what you did. Atobe is such a jerk, someone ought to put that guy in his place."

"Thanks, Tomoka. It's nice to know I still have friends," I said, smiling widely.

"Definitely! So, where are you now?"

"I'm at the library."

"Are you hungry? Sakuno and I were going to Oishii's for lunch."

At the name of Oishii's, I wrinkled my nose. "I've decided I would stay away from Oishii's for a while. Bad things seems to always happen when I go there."

"There are other places to eat like the café they have in the student center," Tomoka suggested.

At this, I perked up because the arcade was also located at the student center. I couldn't play any hands-on games, but I wanted to check the place out anyway.

"Yeah, let's meet up at the student center. See you there," I said before hanging up.

I arrived in front of the student center by bus, bidding the driver goodbye as I stepped off. Entering the center, I noted how the place seemed like a ghost town because of the empty lobby and absence of lively chatter. I walked up to the huge map displayed on the right wall, searching for the arcade. I figured while waiting for the girls' arrival, I could get a quick look-see of the arcade. According to the map, the arcade was on the second floor. I gazed behind me, searching the lobby for any stairs or elevators, but there were none.

I studied the map again and found the elevators were near the café and whispered, "Yes!" before running for the café.

After many twists and turns (the place was pretty big), I found the open space café, the area empty save for two customers standing at the cashier's. The two had their backs to me, but I recognized the blue cap one person wore backwards and the silver-gray hair of the other and froze. It had been a while since I'd seen Otori and an even longer while since I'd seen Shishido ever since we had that stupid argument at the convenience store. Seeing as how my blowout with Atobe was a hot topic nowadays, I had to wonder what Otori thought of me. I didn't even want to think about Shishido. My eyes slid to the silver elevator, standing only a few feet away from the cashier's table before flicking back to the two boys who were now paying for their order, and I deliberated on my next action. I could greet them, or I could walk past and pretend I didn't seem them _or_ I could just turn around and wait for the girls in the lobby.

"Thank you very much for your service!" the cashier spoke happily, bowing to the boys.

Quickly, I spun around and ran down the hall.

"Gracie-san!" Otori called.

"Ah, crap," I muttered, halting in place. I turned around, forcing a smile on my face as the boys approached me. "Otori-san, Shishido-san, fancy seeing you guys here."

"It sure has been a while, hasn't it?" Otori said, smiling. His smile quickly faded when he caught sight of my sling, staring wide-eyed at it. "Your arm! What—"

"Got into it with some bullies. Arm's not broken, so it's no biggie," I replied.

"Bullies? It's because of Atobe-senpai, isn't it?" Otori asked, his eyes flashing in concern. "Students have been messing with you because of what you did to Atobe-senpai."

"No, no, I hurt my arm way before Atobe," I said, shaking my head.

This calmed Otori, but he still appeared rather ticked.

"Oh, I see. Still, I think it was wrong for Atobe-senpai to create that page of you," Otori said.

"Atobe did that?" I asked.

Shishido snorted. "The guy was having too much fun with it. He even has this game going, saying whoever can post the most humiliating picture or video of you will earn a grand mystery prize."

Otori sighed, visibly irritable. "I tried telling him that you're not a bad person at all, but he doesn't want to listen." His irritable expression shifted to an apologetic one. "I'm so sorry, Gracie-san. I saw the pictures of you covered in garbage and heard about the stink bomb…."

You know, for a school so huge, it was incredible how quickly information traveled. Stupid technology for making that possible.

"And I know we got off on a bad start, but it really is super lame of Atobe to punish you for nothing. For the record, it was good of you to stand up to him for that girl," Shishido said.

Awwww, now I _really_ felt bad about our argument.

"Thanks for that, but how'd you know about the girl?" I asked. "The video I saw only caught my blowout."

"Someone else recorded the girl's confession along with," Otori winced, "Atobe-senpai's rejection."

"Poor girl," I sighed.

"What about you? You're the one who's really suffering," Shishido said.

"Yeah, but it won't be for long," I muttered, smiling faintly as I remembered my plan.

"What was that?" Otori asked.

"It's nothing. I've handled worst," I said.

"Really?"

"Okay, no, not _worst_ , but I've experienced something similar back in middle school with this really nasty chick, Ami Fuse. Ugh, she was the worst; middle school was horrible because of her. If it wasn't for my best friend, who knows what would have happened to me," I said, gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling. "But I guess I should be thankful of Ami. After all, it's because of her that I don't take crap from anyone, and I do mean _anyone_ ," I said. "Atobe's exactly like Ami. The only difference is he has more money and power, and therefore, a greater capability of ruining my life." And if it wasn't for the fact that Atobe could ruin my parents' lives as well, apologizing to the guy literally wouldn't even occur to me. I sighed heavily and smiled apologetically at Shishido. "I'm so sorry for the other day when I called you a failure. If anyone's a failure, it's me."

After all, I failed at failing the stupid entrance test.

"Oh, so she _can_ apologize," a voice said behind me.

I cringed, my left hand curling to my fist and my heart plummeting to my feet.

_That voice…. Please, God, let it not be…._ I prayed, knowing it was futile as I slowly turned around and saw the Jerk King, himself, smirking haughtily with that huge guy standing beside him.

"I wondered what took you two so long," Atobe said, approaching us at his leisure. His eyes flicked to me, his smirk growing wider. "You cleaned up well. It must've taken you hours to remove all that garbage, and I can't even imagine how long it took for the smell. One would hardly know you took a dive in the garbage. Hardly."

I bit my cheeks to keep from retorting, simply glaring coldly at the guy.

"Sorry for the holdup Atobe-senpai. We can get going now," Otori said, smiling nervously.

"What are they calling you now? Garbage Girl? It's hardly original, but fitting," Atobe continued as if Otori hadn't spoken.

I bit down harder, tasting blood, but I focused on the pain rather than on the nasty insults accumulating in my mind.

"Atobe-senpai—"

"There's a lot more trouble in store for you, pussy cat," Atobe cut off Otori, his piercing dark blue eyes remaining fixed on me. "If you thought the garbage dive and stink bombs were good, you're in for some more treats courtesy of Ore-sama. By the way, for a dry cleaners run by a commoner, your father does a decent job," Atobe remarked, turning away.

Involuntarily, I gasped, staring wide-eyed at Atobe. "You… my father…?"

"Yes, thanks to your stunt, Ore-sama had to get his clothes dry cleaned. Whipped icing stains pretty easily, and the shirt happened to be Ore-sama's favorite so I had to make sure it was properly taken care of."

"So, you went to my father's dry cleaners?! Out of every dry cleaners in the country, you went to my fathers?!" I demanded, seething mad.

Atobe shrugged carelessly, though his dark blue eyes gleamed victoriously. "That says something of your father for Ore-sama to use his services."

"Cut the crap!" I spat, scowling. "You didn't go there for your clothes! You went to check out how easy it would be to destroy my parents!"

Atobe's eyes widened, feigning surprise. "Destroy your parents? For what? What did they do that Ore-sama would want to destroy them?"

"Exactly! They did nothing to you! So, leave them out of this," I said, coldly.

Atobe's eyes narrowed in return, a scowl replacing his smirk. "Here's a lesson for you: your actions have consequences, not only for you, but for those associated with you. Keep this in mind the next time you want to throw cake in people's faces."

"Okay, fine! You win! I'm sorry!" I said, exasperated. "I'm sorry!"

"Not good enough," Atobe said bluntly.

"What, do you want me to get on my knees? Fine," I muttered, lowering to my knees and gazing up at Atobe, trying to appear as sincere as possible. "I'm so sorry, Atobe, for disrespecting you and throwing cake at you. Please forgive me."

It was silent for a moment with Otori looking concerned, Shishido looking ticked, Kabaji looking impassive, as usual, and Atobe looking victorious, the haughty smirk back on his face.

"This is a good look for you, pussy cat," Atobe said. "Too bad it's not good enough."

"Atobe-senpai—!" Otori protested, but Atobe silenced him with a glare before glancing down at me.

"If you truly want Ore-sama's forgiveness, you'll have to do more than getting on your knees and apologizing," Atobe said.

"What, you want me to say it in front of the whole school or something?" I asked, using every bit of strength not to lash out on the guy.

"No, that would be too easy. I feel as if you wouldn't quite learn your lesson."

"So, what do I have to do?" I snapped, impatiently.

Atobe clucked his tongue twice, shaking his head and smirking, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"Now, now, there's no need for impatience. Agree to this, then all will be forgiven. Deal?"

I glared wordlessly for a second before sighing heavily.

"Deal."

* * *

**Oooooh, just what does the great king have in store for our heroine? Find out in the next chapter of** _**Amazing Gracie** _ **! Lol, don't mind me, I'm weird XD**


	19. Amazing Offer

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: Amazing Offer**

I sat in the lobby, staring blankly at the ground, feeling numb and beaten. I was so out of it, I didn't notice Tomoka and Sakuno walking up to me with Tomoka waving her hand in my face.

"Gracie? Gracie!" Tomoka shouted.

"What's wrong with her?" Sakuno asked, concerned.

"The bullying has finally gotten to her," Tomoka answered, sighing. "Ooh, that Atobe! He really needs to be taught a lesson," Tomoka said, stamping her foot.

"Gracie-chan, are you alright?" Sakuno asked, sitting beside me, her face deeply worried.

But I wasn't paying any attention to them. My mind blocked my surroundings, taking me back to my conversation with Atobe.

* * *

"You want me to do what?" I asked, staring blankly at Atobe.

"Ore-sama needs for you to learn your place, and what better way to do that than for you to be Ore-sama's slave for a week? You will do everything Ore-sama asks, including referring to Ore-sama as 'your majesty.' Do this, and all will be forgiven," Atobe said.

"But I'm sure you have your own personal servants, so why—"

"You've already agreed to it, so there's no backing out now," Atobe interrupted.

I lightly scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Fine, whatever. It's only for a week, right?"

"That's the attitude, pussy cat. Your duties begin tomorrow," Atobe said. "Shishido, Otori, come." Atobe snapped his fingers, turning sharply away from me and walking away briskly.

"What are we, his dogs?" Shishido muttered, walking past me.

"Gracie-san, I'm really sorry about that," Otori said.

"You have nothing to apologize for; I'm the one who got myself into this mess, and now it's up to me to get myself out," I said, sighing.

"Otori!" Atobe called sharply.

"Yes, I'm coming!" Otori called back.

"You better get going; can't keep his majesty waiting any longer," I said.

"Right. I'll see you around!" Otori said before joining his friends.

After that, I lost all desire to check out the arcade and returned to the lobby where I sat, depressed.

"He has you doing what? His maid?" Tomoka asked, gaping at me.

"Yeah, for a week," I mumbled.

"That guy—he already has a bunch of people at his beck and call, obeying his every whim!" Tomoka said, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"I'm just going to bite my tongue and deal with it. It's only a week, how bad can it be?" I muttered.

After meeting with Tomoka and Sakuno, I returned to my room, forgetting all about the stink bomb incident until the strong repulsive odor smacked me right in the face as soon as I opened the door. I coughed uncontrollably, backpedaling out of the room and covering my nose. Even with the windows open, the lingering smell was powerful. Deciding to suck it up, I marched into the room, retrieving air freshener spray from the bathroom and spritzing a generous amount around the room. The smell was still pretty bad, but the spray made it tolerable. In an attempt to relax and forget about my problems, I buried my head in my mystery novels for the next few hours until, finally, falling to sleep.

* * *

"Are you… serious?" I asked, disbelievingly. It was Monday morning, and I had showered and finished gotten dressed when Mom called me, telling me Dad was forced to shut down his dry cleaning business. "But, but why?!" I demanded.

Mom sighed heavily. "Something about chemicals leaking and being a hazard to others' health."

"So, they're just shutting Dad down just like that?!"

"I'm afraid so…."

_This can't be right. Atobe and I made a deal,_ I thought, gripping the phone so tightly, my hand turned white. "How's Dad?" I asked softly.

"He's holding up okay, I guess," Mom replied, though I knew from her tone, she was lying.

"Can I speak to him?"

"Sure, hold on."

"Wait, Mom, before you do, I wanted to know if all is well with you?" I asked, dreading the answer. Mom was silent for a moment, the dread mounting in my heart. "Mom…?"

"Things aren't looking so well for me, either. I don't know why, but I've been receiving a lot of complaints and my boss warned me that if I don't shape up…. Thing is I've been asking my patients and co-workers and everyone had nothing but positive remarks, so these complaints that my boss is telling me about isn't making any sense to me," Mom said, her voice slightly breaking.

_That Atobe… even though we struck a deal, he still went ahead and messed with my parents!_ I fumed.

"But don't worry about me, sweetie; I'll handle it. Here's your father now," Mom said.

"Hey, Gracie, is all well at school?" Dad asked. He sounded cheerful, but I knew it wasn't genuine.

"Forget about that; how are _you_ doing?" I asked.

"I'm… I'm feeling unbelievably low," Dad admitted. "The thing is I knew about the leaking chemicals, but I had someone come in and fix it, and I would periodically check and make sure everything was in order. So, for this to happen…."

"I'm so sorry," I said, my voice breaking. Tears sprang to the surface, and I angrily swiped them away.

"You have nothing to apologize for, hun. It's not like you were the reason my business shut down." Dad sighed again, and I winced, guilt flooding through me.

"Actually… I am the reason," I confessed softly. "There's this boy named Atobe and he… well, long story short, I pissed him off and he's getting back at me by ruining you and Mom."

"What makes you so sure of this?"

"Because it happened to others. I tried apologizing to the guy, and we even made a deal, so I don't understand why he—"

"So, you really are the reason why my business shut down?!" Dad asked, raising his voice, and I winced, the tears streaming down like waterfalls.

"What was that, dear?" Mom asked, her voice soft in the background.

"It's because of Gracie that my business shut down!" Dad shouted. "She's probably responsible for all the trouble that's happening at your job!"

"Dad, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen! I even tried fixing it. Atobe and I made a deal and—"

"I don't want to hear anymore," Dad snapped. "You… you're not my daughter anymore," Dad spoke coldly.

"Dad! I—"

"He already left, Gracie," Mom's grim tone floated through the speakers. "I am extremely disappointed in you. Was this your way of getting back at your father and I for sending you to Ryogoku?" Mom asked, her tone accusing.

"No! Of course not, I—"

"Save your excuses," Mom interrupted. "When will you learn that your actions have consequences? For every action, there is a reaction, Gracie."

"I know, and I'm so, so, _so_ sorry, Mom," I wept.

"Me, too. I'm sorry I have you for a daughter."

_Click._ The dial tone buzzed dimly in my ear, and I slowly pulled the phone away from my ear, staring at it incredulously. Did that just happen? Unable to hold it in any longer, I burst out crying, crumpling to my knees and covering my face as I wept. How did this happen? How _could_ this have happened? Atobe and I had a deal…. I curled my hand into a fist, fury boiling up inside me. I should have known to trust that arrogant, loathsome— _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

The sharp, incessant noise shocked me out of my thoughts, and I blinked, suddenly finding myself staring at the ceiling on my back. The room was dimly lit, the sun peeking through the closed blinds. _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

_Ugh, where the—?_ I wondered, irritation spiking through me as I turned my head to find the source of the noise. My alarm clock flashed 8:45 am, and I jolted up in bed, gaping at the time. _Oh, my gosh, is that really the time?! I only have fifteen minutes until class starts!_ So, wait, that whole conversation with my parents was just a dream? I sighed in relief, placing a hand over my rapidly beating heart. It was all just a dream, thank God. _Or more like a nightmare,_ I thought, hopping out of bed and hurrying to the bathroom.

I glanced over at An's bed to find it empty and remembered she had early morning practice. Ugh, I couldn't believe I overslept. It wasn't like I stayed up all night or anything. Once I showered and got dressed, I grabbed my bag and flew the door open, halting when I saw a medium black box with a blue bow on top, sitting right outside the door. Immediately, I jumped back ten steps, glaring suspiciously at the package.

_Give me a break; I do not have time for this,_ I thought.

I decided I would just walk past the package when I spotted a small, white card sticking out of the bow, and I stepped forward, narrowing my eyes at the card.

_'To Garbage Girl from Atobe,'_ I read, frowning. I studied the package warily, finally breaking down and uncovering it. _Oh, my—you have_ got _to be kidding me!_ I thought, gaping.

Inside, neatly folded, was a black and blue maid uniform along with black Mary Jane two inch heels and white stockings. My eye twitched, and I crumpled the box's cover, anger marks appearing all over my head as I imagined Atobe's smug, victorious grin.

_Quit joking around! This guy can't possibly be serious! There's no way on earth I'm wearing this!_

I reached in and pulled out the outfit, examining it with extreme distaste. A white card fell from the uniform, dropping to the ground, and I snatched it up, reading the content aloud.

"'Garbage Girl, Ore-sama decided that if you are to be his slave, you must look the part. Take great care of the uniform. You only get the one. Don't worry about getting in trouble for not wearing the school's uniform. In the box, there's a pager. Carry it with you at all times. If your service this week is anything short of excellent… well, you're already aware of your situation, so Ore-sama trusts we won't have any issues.'"

My hand shook, and I crumpled the card into a ball, seething. It took every ounce of me not to heave the whole package in the garbage. Was this guy for real? I really had to go around dressed like a _maid?!_ I took a breath, calming my anger as I remembered the reason for doing this. My dream flashed through my head, and I shuddered, vehemently shaking my head. Although I was pretty sure my parents wouldn't disown me, I still hated the fact I could be responsible for them losing their jobs. It was only for a week. Surely, I could put up with His Rudeness for a week, right? My gaze flicked to the maid's outfit, and my eye twitched as I curled my hand into a fist. Right. Only time will tell….

* * *

Rain poured down heavily while thunder rumbled loudly overhead as the wind blew fiercely. Dark, gray clouds blanketed the sky, casting a dismal shadow across campus. I stood in the lobby, clad in the maid's uniform, glaring stonily outside the glass-paned double doors.

_What the heck? I could have sworn I saw the sun. How did the weather get so bad so fast?_ I wondered, sighing heavily and turning around so I could fetch an umbrella. I returned to the lobby, opening the umbrella before stepping outside. "Ugh!" I cried once the rain splattered my face.

Although I had an umbrella, it was rendered ineffective due to the harsh wind blowing the rain. I tilted the umbrella at an angle so that it protected my upper body. I shivered violently as the freezing rain attacked my lower limbs, the wind making it even colder. I gripped the umbrella tightly as I slowly worked my way down the pathway, the rain seeping into the white stockings and making it pretty difficult to walk in the heels. This wasn't cool, considering I was already super late.

It took me fifteen minutes to reach the bus stop and that was only because the wind incessantly attempted to wrestle my umbrella from my death grip, and I refused to let it have it. Because of that, I was soaked from head to toe and shivering so uncontrollably, a passerby would think I was seizing. When I reached the bus stop, I studied the bus' schedule posted on a board and groaned when I saw the next bus wasn't coming for another hour. It didn't make sense to wait for the bus when the walk to the main building was twenty minutes, so I started trekking.

Stupid weather. Stupid me for oversleeping because then I wouldn't have been caught in the stupid weather. Stupid Atobe for thinking he's better than everyone and always getting what he wants. Stupid me for not minding my own business. Stupid—"Whoa!" I yelped when my right foot stepped into a deep puddle. "Ugh!" I groaned, pulling the foot out.

If it wasn't official before, it was official now: my life sucked. I heaved a huge sigh, resuming my miserable trek to the school and closing the umbrella, seeing as how it was doing such a wonderful job of shielding me from the rain. The wind had died down along with the rain, which made the walk slightly less terrible. Slightly. A sleek black car rumbled down the road, whizzing past me and spraying up a wall of water, dousing me.

_"Uck!"_ I cried, dropping my umbrella and rubbing my eyes. "Seriously?! Are you friggin' serious right now?!" I snarled, glaring hotly at the receding car.

To my surprise, the car stopped, the driver's door opening, and a black umbrella opening up as the driver got out.

"My apologies, miss! Are you alright?" the man asked, hurrying up to me.

_Dumb question. Do I_ look _alright?_ I thought, but then stopped myself.

It was nice for the guy to actually stop and apologize. I was pretty sure many others would have continued driving and not give me a second thought. The man looked to be in his mid-forties, gray lines coloring the sides of his short, black hair. His warm brown eyes studied me worriedly while his thin lips were set in a deep, concerned frown. He wore a long, black overcoat and black dress pants with black dress shoes. Geez, was this guy heading for a funeral or something? Even his umbrella was black.

"You're fine. I was already soaked," I said.

The man glanced back at his idle car before returning his gaze on me.

"Where are you going? I can take you," the man offered.

"Uh, thanks for the offer, but you're fine," I said, waving dismissively.

There was no way I was entering a car with a total stranger. For all I knew, he could be a psychopath. It was nice of him to offer, but given my recent unlucky streak, there was no way I was taking _any_ chances.

"Oh, it's you Evans-san," a familiar voice spoke from behind the man. The man stepped aside, revealing Yukimura dressed in the school's uniform while holding an umbrella.

"Ah, Yukimura-san, morning," I greeted, waving shyly, all too aware of my maid's outfit.

"Yukimura-sama, you shouldn't be out here!" the older man lightly scolded.

"It's okay, Megumi," Yukimura assured the man. "Evans-san, would you like a ride to class?"

"Um, if it's really okay…."

"I wouldn't offer if it wasn't," Yukimura replied.

I nodded, following Yukimura to the car and sliding into the warmth of the vehicle, closing the door and sighing in relief of receiving shelter from the biting cold. Seconds later, Yukimura and the man entered the vehicle, with the man resuming the drive.

"Thank you very much for the ride. I'm already late to class, so this is a big help," I said, smiling at Yukimura.

"It's not a problem. I apologize for splashing you," Yukimura said.

"Yes, miss, that was my mistake. Please, forgive me," the driver said.

"You're fine, you're fine. I was already wet to begin with," I replied.

"By the way, how's your head?" Yukimura asked.

"My head?" I repeated, confused.

"Yes, on Saturday, you were knocked unconscious by a soccer ball," Yukimura explained.

"Um… oh! That's right, that did happen, didn't it? I still don't remember what happened that led to me getting knocked out but Kanzaki-san said someone named Seiichi carried me to the infirmary. Wait, could it be you're…?"

"Yes, I was the one who took you to the infirmary. I checked back later, but you were already gone. Feeling better, I hope?"

"Yes, I am, actually. Thanks so much for taking me to the infirmary, though it's embarrassing," I admitted, sighing.

"I'm just glad you're doing fine. By the way… is there a reason you're wearing that outfit?" Yukimura asked.

My face burned at the question, and I wanted so much to just hurl myself out the car.

"Uh, yeah…. I made this deal with Atobe and—"

"Say no more. I understand," Yukimura interrupted. "I figured as much."

"This isn't the first time Atobe's done this?"

"Sadly, no. I've seen the video of your blowout with Atobe, and I wanted you to know I support you," Yukimura said, smiling gently at me.

"Thanks. Glad to know not everyone is against me," I replied, sighing. "Oh, but Yukimura-san, I'm curious about the car. Is it because of the weather?" I wondered.

"Ah, no, I happen to be going somewhere, so I'll be arriving to class much later," Yukimura answered.

"Really? Where's that? Oh, look at me being nosy. Sorry," I apologized, smiling sheepishly.

"No, it's fine. I'm going to the hospital."

"The hospital?! Is everything okay?" I asked, concerned.

"That's what I'm going to find out, but don't worry too much. I'm sure it's nothing," Yukimura assured me.

"We're here," the man said, slowing to a stop in front of the school building.

"Thanks again for the ride! And Yukimura-san, I'll be keeping you in my prayers. I'm sure it's nothing, too! Let me know how it goes, okay?" I said.

"I will, thanks, Evans-san," Yukimura said, waving. The car drove off, gliding down the road before disappearing around the bend.

* * *

I stood outside my classroom door, greatly dreading having to enter inside. I inhaled deeply, grabbing the knob and twisting it slowly, the door creaking open though the sound was similar to a cat's claws scraping across the chalkboard, and I nearly passed out at the anxiety of entering class late while debuting my new outfit.

"Evans-san, so nice for you to finally join us," Izumi announced, gazing at me with a disapproved look. Her frown deepened at my outfit, and even more so at the students' snickers and whispered comments. "I'll take your book report now," she said, holding out a hand in expectance.

"Uh, yeah, about that… I didn't finish…?" I smiled nervously as Izumi retracted her hand, her expression hardening in irritation.

"Hmm, is that so? Go ahead and take your seat, Evans-san," Izumi dismissed curtly. I winced, hurrying to my seat while keeping my head down to avoid eye contact. "Okay, I will now hand out the physics exam, so take out your pencils and calculators," Izumi instructed.

Ah, crap. I completely forgot about the physics exam. I sighed heavily, resting my forehead on the desk when I remembered that I was no longer trying to remain in S class, so it didn't matter if I failed the test.

_I wonder if I'll get all the answers right if I guess for the entire exam,_ I wondered.

* * *

Class dismissed for lunch with some students rushing out of the room while others lingered to chat. I went to replace the notebook in my backpack when someone slammed his hand on top, preventing me from doing so. I glared up at the person, who was a tall, chubby fair-skinned boy with long black hair tied into a low ponytail, smirking down at me.

"Yo, that's a cute outfit you're wearing there. It's fitting," he remarked, sneering. I tightened my grip around the edge of the notebook, attempting to pull it toward me, but the boy snatched the notebook away, holding it up with an amused expression. "I'm curious as to how a first-year, a commoner no less, ended up in S class."

"My smarts, duh," I snapped, rising to my feet. "Now, if you could kindly return my notebook!" I made a grab for the book, but the boy stepped away, raising the book above his head. "What's your problem?! Return that!"

"If you're so smart, then you wouldn't need this, would you?" The boy opened the notebook, flipping through its pages. "Ooh, these are some nice notes you have here. Do you mind if I borrow 'em?" The boy ripped several pages from the book, the tearing sound grating my eardrums.

_"What are you doing?!"_ I shrieked, lunging forward and successfully snatching the notebook from his hand.

"What? You said you got here by smarts, right? That means you should be able to do well without these," the boy said. He tore the notes into tiny pieces, allowing them to flutter to the ground.

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, ready to pounce. "You're going to regret that…."

"Am I? What are you gonna do? There are no baked treats here for you to throw at me," the boy said, laughing.

"Ha ha, good one, Akio," someone said, chuckling.

The students who lingered were thoroughly enjoying the show, watching eagerly in anticipation.

"I'm sure that's exactly what you'd want, huh?" I retorted, lightly patting his protruding belly.

"Whu—?! You rude witch!" Akio reached for me, but a bandaged arm snapped out, grasping his meaty arm. "Huh?!" Akio yelped, looking over at the person. Shiraishi tightened his grasp around the Akio's wrist, his expression dark as he glowered at the chubby boy. "Sh-Shiraishi-san!" the boy cried out.

"Akio, a man should never put his hand on a woman. Ever," Shiraishi stressed the last word while simultaneously tightening his vice grip.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Akio cried, lowering to his knees, pain evident in his face.

_Whoa, impressive! Shiraishi-san literally brought the guy to his knees!_ I thought, gazing at Shiraishi with renewed admiration.

Shiraishi was probably three inches shorter than the guy and appeared half his weight, too. So, it was truly a remarkable display to see the tall, chubby boy easily yield to Shiraishi.

"Please, Shiraishi-san, it feels like it's about to break!" Akio whimpered, tears now springing to the corner of his eyes.

"I'll let go just as soon as you apologize," Shiraishi promised.

"But what did I do to you?!"

"Not to me, idiot," Shiraishi replied, sighing. Akio sucked his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he cast his gaze sideways, remaining silent. Shiraishi twisted Akio's arm, and he yelped, nodding emphatically. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry, uh—"

"Evans-san," Shiraishi supplied.

"Right, right. Evans-san, I'm sorry for ruining your notes and bothering you. Please forgive me!" Akio spoke with such a high-pitched tone, I had to force back a giggle.

Shiraishi released him, though his steely expression remained in place, and Akio exhaled loudly, rubbing his sore wrist.

"What's going on here?" a commanding voice inquired, startling everyone.

The class representative stood by the open doorway with his arms crossed while gazing impassively at each student before his cool gaze landed on Akio. He was a tall, slim young man wearing glasses and had short dark brown hair. I recognized the guy from the first day of school when I was struggling to first enter the classroom.

"Crap, it's Tezuka," someone whispered. I noticed students were appearing visibly nervous, some even frightened.

"Akio, what is that around your feet?" Tezuka asked, referring to the pieces of paper littered around Akio's feet.

"Oh, it's um… trash?" Akio replied uncertainly.

"Last I checked, the ground wasn't a garbage bin. Hurry and clean it up," Tezuka commanded.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Akio obeyed, immediately gathering up the pieces. Tezuka watched as Akio dumped the pieces into the trash before leaving out the room. "Ugh, that guy is scary for no reason," Akio sighed heavily.

"I suggest you go eat your lunch before class starts again," Shiraishi advised.

"Che." Akio sauntered out of the classroom but not without shooting me one last withering glare.

The remaining students followed suit without sparing a glance my way, leaving Shiraishi and I alone.

"Geez," I groaned, leaning against the desk. "How troublesome."

"I'll say. It was horrible for that guy to ruin your notes, but luckily I can help with that," Shiraishi said.

"No, no, it's fine. You've done enough for me already, Shiraishi-san. Thanks for helping me. But is it really okay? I mean, if Atobe finds out you're helping me…."

"Let me worry about Atobe," Shiraishi replied. "And about your book report, I think you should talk with sensei about how you fell ill and couldn't complete it. I'm sure she'll understand. I can even vouch for you," Shiraishi offered.

"Thank you, but it's fine. I mean, I'm not doing well in the class anyway, so sooner or later, I'll get kicked out of the class," I said.

"Really?" Shiraishi asked, surprised.

"Yeah, but it's okay. I will survive," I said, pumping my fist.

Shiraishi regarded me for a moment, his expression thoughtful when he snapped his fingers, his face brightening.

"All right, I got it! I'll tutor you," he said.

"Hah?"

"I help tutor students twice a week after school. I can help you, too."

"Um, ha, that's, uh… that's kind of you, Shiraishi-san, but it's useless. I'll let you in on a secret. I'm only in S class by pure luck. I guessed on all the questions on the entrance exam and it turned out I guessed correctly… for every single question. I ended up receiving a perfect score and, as a result, ended up here. So, you see, I'm smart, but I'm nowhere near S class smart. It's like this class is made for geniuses or something," I said.

"You really guessed on all the questions and got every single one right?" Shiraishi asked, dubious.

"Yup."

"That sounds impossible."

"Yup…." I replied, sighing forlornly.

"Are you sure it wasn't a mistake?"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Oh, believe me, I checked. There's no mistake."

"I see…. Well, then, that's all the more for me to help you out!" Shiraishi said.

"Eh? Shiraishi-san, it really isn't necessary—"

"What happened to that fiery attitude where you said you would prove you're S class material?" Shiraishi interrupted me.

"Uh…."

"You said you won't lose to guys like me, right?"

"Well, that's…." I averted my gaze, not wanting to meet Shiraishi's own inquisitive eyes as I struggled to respond. _I'm not actually going to accept Shiraishi's offer, am I? What happened to the whole failing out of S class plan? If I accept Shiraishi's offer, life will be needlessly difficult once again._ "Do you really think you can help me?" I found myself asking.

"Only one way to find out, right?"

Urgh. I already knew I was going to regret this, but as I studied Shiraishi's kind expression, my heart lightly skipped, and I found myself feeling at peace as I nodded.

"Okay, then I accept your offer."


	20. Amazing Support

**AN: Thanks for all those who are reading, following and adding this story to their favorites! It's really encouraging!**

**Disclaimer: Do not own PoT or its characters. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty: Amazing Support**

Over the next few days, I obeyed Atobe's every whim, feeling a part of me die every time I did.

"Ugh," I growled as I struggled wheeling the cart of clean laundry down the hall of the physical education building.

It was 7 AM on a Saturday, and instead of sleeping in, I was stuck doing the basketball club's laundry. A page from Atobe woke me from my precious sleep at four in the friggin' morning, demanding me to wash the basketball club's clothes before the start of practice. I swear the guy only did it for annoyance sake, but I just bit my tongue and carried on. A wide grin spread across my face as I remembered today was the last day of my horrid servanthood to the Jerk King. The laundry cart jerked to a stop, causing me to bang my knee into the cart.

"Ouch! Stupid…."

I kicked the cart, glowering at the jerseys filling the cart. I pushed against the cart with my left arm, my right arm still useless from injury, and the wheels squeaked loudly in the empty hallway as the cart turned crookedly to the right, the right wheel stuck. I marched in front of the cart and attempted pulling it, but the weight of the clothes and the stuck right wheel made it almost impossible to pull the object forward.

"Argh!" I screamed, repeatedly kicking the cart.

"Gracie-san?" Someone called out behind me.

I peered over my shoulder to see Otori approaching me, waving while wearing a gentle smile. He was dressed in a light gray tanktop and black sweatpants with broad white stripes and matching running shoes.

"Otori-san, hey," I greeted, waving sheepishly.

Otori spied the cart of laundry, his smile fading into a concerned frown.

"Atobe-san has you doing the team's laundry?"

"Yeah," I answered, sighing. "He paged me at four in the friggin' morning," I muttered.

"He did?! I'm so sorry about that," Otori apologized.

"Why are you sorry? You're not the one threatening to ruin my family's life if I don't complete mundane and humiliating tasks," I growled.

Otori winced at my acidic tone. "Yes, I know, but Atobe-san—"

"Ugh, I don't even wanna think about the guy, much less talk about him." I inhaled sharply, a pleasing smile spreading across my tired face. "Today is the last day I serve the Jerk King. Hallelujah," I said, returning to the task at hand and attempting to push the cart, though the stubborn object insisted on curving to the right. "Ugh! This stupid—"

"Here, I'll help. I'd imagine it was tough doing all this laundry with only one arm," Otori said, grabbing the side of the cart and pulling forward, preventing the cart from steering to the right.

"Thanks," I said, gratefully, pushing the cart along, the squealing wheels grating my eardrums. "And, yeah, it took me two hours and a half to complete it all. By the way, boys are gross, just saying," I said, wrinkling my nose.

Seriously, I almost passed out from the horrid smells protruding from the clothes when I loaded them in the washers. I had to use gloves and mask courtesy of Nurse Kanzaki. Otori laughed, the pleasant sound echoing throughout the empty halls.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Atobe-san would have us train nonstop five days a week," Otori explained.

"Would you consider Atobe a good captain?"

"Yes," Otori spoke automatically.

"Seriously?" I asked, doubtful.

"I understand what you're thinking: how can someone so cruel and cold-hearted be a good leader?"

"Pretty much, yeah," I said, nodding.

"I can't completely explain it, but the Atobe-san you can't stand and the Atobe-san I've come to know are two different people," Otori said.

"Huh? Like a multiple personality disorder?" I asked dubiously.

Otori chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "No, I like to think the Atobe-san the world sees is just a facade."

"Are you telling me the guy is actually nice?" I asked, wrinkling my nose.

The actual thought of Atobe having a soft side was laughable.

"I know it seems impossible, but…." Otori trailed off, and I waited for the guy to finish but when he didn't, I shrugged.

"Well, nice or not, Atobe is forever on my People who Suck list," I said, smirking.

"How many people are on the list?"

"Before coming to this school, only one person; this bully back home," I said, rolling my eyes. "But after coming here? Basically, the whole school, give or take a few people."

"Would I happen to be one of the few?"

I smiled. "I don't know, Otori-san," I sing-song. "You are friends with the Jerk King… but, for now, you're safe," I said, giggling.

"Awesome! I'll make it my life's goal to stay off the list," Otori said, smiling.

I laughed aloud, realizing it has been a while since I've done that. Otori was an angel compared to Atobe. Even though Atobe's such a jerk, Otori seemed to idolize the guy. And he wasn't the only one, either. The whole school idolized the jerk and all because, what, he's exceptional at some dumb sport? We arrived to the gym where many players were already getting a jumpstart on the day, with some doing jumping jacks, others running around the immense gym, and still others practicing jump shots.

"Hey, Otori-san!" Some guys called over to Otori, waving.

Otori waved back, and I frowned as several more guys entered the gym dressed for practice.

"You really practice on Saturday, though?" I asked.

"Yeah, we're practicing for this upcoming tournament next week," Otori explained.

"I see. Well, here's the laundry. Now, let me get out of here before—"

"Oi, Garbage Girl!" Someone barked behind me, causing Otori and I to flinch.

_No, no, no!_ I groaned, biting back a scowl.

I turned around to see Atobe strolling into the gym with Kabaji and a few others trailing behind him.

"So, you were here, Chotaro?" Shishido asked, approaching us. "Yo," he greeted me.

"Hey," I muttered, placing my left arm on my hip as Atobe surveyed the laundry.

"I see you completed the laundry, and you folded, too," Atobe stated.

"Nothing's too good for his highness!" I said in a sweet syrupy voice, pasting a fake bright smile on my face while curtsying.

"I'm glad to hear you say that." Atobe pointed across the gym. "Because I need you to clean the gymnasium while everyone practices outside. The cleaning supplies are in the—"

"Wait. Pause! What the heck do you mean 'clean the gymnasium'?!" I demanded, my eyes narrowing into slits.

"Exactly what it means. Are you so daft that you can't understand simple instructions?"

_Ah!_ I screamed so loudly in my head, I briefly thought it could be heard by others. I inhaled, taking a moment to swallow the vile words threatening to spew from my mouth before replying. "No, I am not _'daft.'_ I just want to know why you want _me_ to clean the gym," I spoke evenly through gritted teeth. "Isn't that the janitor's job?"

"Yes, but I gave Miles the day off, so for today, you'll be acting janitor," Atobe said, smiling.

"You can't be serious! The gym is huge!" I protested.

"I don't know why you're complaining," a short guy with a red hair shortcut remarked. He sidled up beside me and patted my head in a faux affectionate way as if I was a pet. "With someone of your status, you should be used to such tasks."

I slapped his hand away from my head, scowling at him with a murderous glare.

"Uh-oh, Mukahi, watch out. She may bite," Atobe jeered.

"I'm not a dog!" I snapped. "And I'm certainly not about to clean this whole place by myself!"

"Ahn? Then, I guess you're breaking our deal?" Atobe asked, his onyx eyes glinting victoriously.

"Atobe-san, I really do think it's a bit much for Gracie to clean the gym by herself, especially with an injured arm," Otori pointed out.

"Well, last I checked, all one needs is one arm to hold a mop and broom," Atobe remarked.

"You…! I swear this to you, Atobe, you will get yours one day," I vowed.

"Well, until that day comes, I still want this gym polished. The supplies are in the closet across the room. I'm sure Otori wouldn't mind helping you bring the supplies out," Atobe said, looking over at Otori.

Otori nodded silently, his face solemn as Atobe strode to the center of the gym, immediately earning the attention of everyone.

"Listen up! We will run laps through Kido Park and finish at the courts where we will begin drills," Atobe announced.

He said more but I was too preoccupied with my burning anger. I stomped across the gym, ignoring the snickers and nasty comments while Otori trailed behind me. I slammed open the closet room door, flicking on the light switch.

"I can't stand that guy!" I shouted, not caring in the least if Atobe heard me. I whirled on Otori, my scowl deepening. "What were you saying again about Atobe's cruelty being a facade?" I snapped, kicking away a flat basketball.

"I'm sorry, Gracie-san. I don't know why Atobe-san do what he does," Otori replied, walking further into the room while searching the shelves for cleaning supplies.

"It is certainly one of the greatest mysteries of all time," I remarked sarcastically.

* * *

"There… finally… done!" I gasped aloud, collapsing onto the freshly cleaned gym floor.

It took three hours to sweep and mop the entire gym one-handed. My left arm and back ached so incredibly bad I decided to remain on the floor for a few minutes.

_Ahh, I'm so tired,_ I groaned. I flipped onto my back, shutting my eyes and enjoying the silence. _This hardwood floor feels so good right now…. I think I'll just rest here for a few minutes,_ I thought, my eyes fluttering closed.

I sat upon a golden throne with crimson plush seating overlooking the spectacular throne room bathed in colors of silver, gold and red. Thousands of my peers filled the room to capacity shouting excitedly and looking upon me in great adoration. I sighed in satisfaction, sitting back on my throne and enjoying the breeze provided by Red Lips and Blondie fanning me with large palm trees while Green-Eyes poured me a cup of sweet tea.

"How is that, Gracie-sama?" Green-eyes asked feebly.

I tasted the drink, immediately spitting it out and casting the drink aside. "Ugh! Just how much sugar did you put in there?! Are you trying to kill me?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes at the girl who now trembled in fear.

"N-No! Of course not! I—"

"Stop! Take care of this or I'll take care of you!" I snarled. "And you two, fan faster!"

"Y-Yes, Gracie-sama!" Red Lips and Blondie said, increasing their pace.

"Gracie-sama, we have found Atobe," Otori announced, suddenly appearing by my side.

I grinned, my eyes sparkling in anticipation. "Have you? Send him in."

"Yes, ma'am. Bring him in!"

The double heavy oak doors creaked open with two guards carrying an unkempt Atobe down the plush red carpet. The people hissed and booed, flinging trash at him. The guards thrust Atobe forward where he laid facedown at the foot of the steps. His clothes were in tatters and riddled with holes, and the guy appeared as if he hadn't bathed in days.

"Please, Gracie, have mercy!" Atobe wailed.

"That's Gracie-sama to you!" I snapped.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Gracie-sama, please forgive me!" Atobe pleaded.

I smiled widely at Atobe, who stared back at me in trepidation. "What's with that look? There's no need to look like that. Tell you what, I'll forgive you if you do this teensy, tiny thing for me: donate your entire inheritance to the I'm Cool and You're Not foundation. Founded by yours truly," I said, giggling.

"You're amazing, Gracie-sama!"

"I love you, Gracie-sama!"

"You're so cool and Atobe's so not!"

Hundreds of my peers cheered me on while others pitched trash at Atobe.

"You want me to give you all my money?! I can't do that!"

I laughed gleefully. "It's cute that you really thought you had a choice. I already transferred the money. You and your family are officially broke. Ha!" I cackled. "Oh, and you're expelled from the school. Kabaji!"

"Usu!"

Kabaji appeared from amongst the crowd, hoisting a resistant Atobe onto his shoulders and carrying him out of my presence.

"Gracie-sama, your husband has arrived," Otori informed me.

At that moment, trumpet fare echoed throughout the room as the heavy oak doors opened, revealing a slim, handsome figure dressed in elegant clothing fit for a king. As he began his trek down the carpet, the screams of my peers increased with some bowing their heads in reverence. My heart thundered in my chest at my husband's approach, and when he neared the throne, I jumped toward him, squealing as he twirled me around to the delight of everyone around us. He set me on the ground, and I gazed up at him, my heart melting beneath his warm, gray-brown eyes.

"You look as beautiful as ever, my dear," Shiraishi spoke softly.

I giggled, tightening my hold around his neck as I buried my face into his chest. "Well, I try."

Shiraishi tilted my chin up so I could meet his eyes, drawing his face closer to mine. Not even the roar of the crowd could drown out my thundering heart as I closed my eyes awaiting for our lips to meet.

"Evans-san… Evans-san… Evans-san, can you hear me?" A frantic voice called, shaking me.

"That's Gracie-sama to you," I mumbled.

"Huh? Evans-san…?"

My eyes flew open, and I shot up, my head slamming into the other person's head.

"Ouch!" We shouted at the same time.

"Ow, ow, ow," I groaned, rubbing my sore forehead.

"Are you alright?" Shiraishi smiled apologetically, a hand to his forehead.

"Huh? Oh! Shiraishi-san!" My dream rushed back to me, and I inhaled sharply, slapping a hand to my mouth as my face colored a deep tomato red.

Shiraishi looked at me strangely, curious about my reaction. "Are you okay? I walked in and found you on the floor. Did you have another fainting episode?" Shiraishi asked, his face filled with concern.

"No, no, it's nothing like that! I was just, uh, resting after having finished cleaning the gym," I explained, keeping my gaze on the floor.

"The gym? You're not talking about this gym, are you?" Shiraishi asked, astonished.

"Just one of the many tasks assigned by the Jerk King," I muttered.

"Atobe, huh?" Shiraishi said, sighing. "I should have suspected because of your outfit."

"I swear, when this is done, I am burning this thing," I growled, standing to my feet. "Um, by the way, Shiraishi-san, are you hear for practice, too?" I inquired.

"No, I just came to drop something off to my coach," Shiraishi answered, rising to his feet. "Do you need help putting the supplies away?" Shiraishi asked, pointing at the bucket and mop and broom lying beside it.

"Would you? That'd be helpful," I said, smiling gratefully. As Shiraishi collected the supplies, my mind worked overtime in an attempt to sort out the meaning of my dream. _What was the deal with Shiraishi being my husband?! Is there some meaning to that? No, of course not!_ _There is no meaning. It was just a dream. People dream crazy stuff all the time,_ I reasoned. I observed Shiraishi from the corner of my eye. The guy was attractive, smart, kind, helpful—pretty much all the things I looked for in a potential boyfriend. _Ack! What am I thinking?! I do not see Shiraishi-san in that way at all! So, stop thinking about it! Just banish the dream to the back of your mind, Gracie. It's just a dream; nothing more or less._

"So, how long must you continue serving Atobe?" Shiraishi asked, startling the crap out of me. "Whoa, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah! Didn't I tell you I get scared easily?" I replied, chuckling nervously.

Shiraishi stared at me for a moment, his brows furrowing in question. "What is it? You seemed bothered by something."

"Well, that's, uh, because Atobe had me clean the gym by myself, and I'm… upset about that," I finished weakly.

"As you should be. I still can't believe he did that," Shiraishi said, seeming irritated.

_Aw, he has such a cute annoyed expression,_ I observed when I realized what I just said. _What was up with that thought just now?! Geez, this is getting ridiculous._ "Um, to answer your question, today's the last day!" I reported happily.

"Really? Wow, I'd never imagine you would actually stick it out to the end," Shiraishi said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I've seen the video that you earned you the title Psycho Commoner. I had thought someone with that kind of spirit would rather die than serve Atobe," Shiraishi remarked.

"Hmph, believe me, I am only doing this for my parents. If I don't get the guy's forgiveness, he'll ruin them."

Shiraishi and I approached the supply room, and I pulled open the supply room door with such force, it slammed against the wall, sending a powerful echo throughout the expansive gym. Shiraishi winced at the loud noise, regarding me apprehensively as I stomped inside, flicking the light on.

"Um…." He started when I cut him off.

"Honestly! He really thinks he can do what he wants and get away with it?! Ha! He's sure to get his. Him and every one of his dumb fans!" I vowed. When I noticed Shiraishi's wary expression, I waved my left hand several times in dismissal. "Ah, sorry, I got a little carried away. Don't worry, I'm not thinking of bombing the school or anything," I said, laughing lightly.

Shiraishi snorted at my remark. "Right. Well? Where do these go?" he asked, referring to the supplies.

Once the supplies were put away, Shiraishi and I left the physical education building, the sun shining brightly, and I shielded my eyes, enjoying the pleasant breeze.

"Thanks again for your help, Shiraishi-san," I said.

"It's no problem, but it sure is a nice day out, isn't it?" Shiraishi asked.

"Yeah, it is," I agreed, looking over at him and smiling widely.

Shiraishi was studying the ground, or more precisely, the black and blue flowers planted along the slate walkway. He stooped beside the flowers and gently touched the black petals, his eyebrows furrowed and gray-brown eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the plant. I tilted my head, curious of the guy's studious behavior.

"Um, Shiraishi-san, what are you doing?" I questioned.

"Just admiring this flower up close," Shiraishi replied, not taking his eyes off the plant.

I stooped beside him, furrowing my eyebrows in questioning. "Admiring?"

"Mmm," Shiraishi hummed.

"Well, I will admit that I like how the flowers bear the school's colors," I replied. "The blue is so vibrant and the black is pretty impressive, too. I didn't know black flowers existed in real life."

"They don't. These are a deep purple," Shiraishi pointed out.

"Eh?"

"Yeah, if you take a closer look, you can see the edges are purple," Shiraishi stated, pointing at the petal's edges.

I squinted at the flower in an attempt to observe for any purple coloring, but all I could see was black.

"Hmm… I'm still not seeing it," I murmured.

"Here," Shiraishi easily plucked the flower from the ground, "if you hold it up to the sun, you could probably see it better," he suggested, handing the flower to me.

I did as he said, raising the flower up against the sun while narrowing my eyes in scrutiny.

"Hmm… hey, I see it! Whoa, it really is purple!" I said. "That's so cool. It really does look black from a distance though," I said, lowering the flower.

"It's called a black pansy. It's great for any garden, and despite its small size, it's pretty resilient as it's able to withstand most harsh conditions," Shiraishi informed me. "In a way, it reminds me of you, Evans-san."

"Huh? Me? How?" I wondered.

"You've been through quite a lot since you've arrived to this school, but despite the troubles, your spirit never seems to falter," Shiraishi explained, smiling, his gray-brown eyes warm and sincere.

My face warmed with embarrassment, and I quickly averted my gaze, my heartbeat increasing in speed at Shiraishi's words. "T-That's because remaining depressed doesn't help with anything," I mumbled.

"You're right about that," Shiraishi agreed. "Let me see it." Shiraishi held out his hand, and I placed the flower in his palm. I stiffened as he tucked the flower behind my ear, his hand lingering by my face. "Perfect," he spoke, his smile widening.

At this point, my heart felt ready to burst from my chest at the speed it was going.

_Aw, geez, what am I freaking out for? This is Shiraishi-san, your classmate. That's all he is,_ I reminded myself.

"You know, it's said whoever carries a black pansy will attract his or her soulmate," Shiraishi shared.

At this, my heart nearly stuttered to a stop. "W-W-What?!" I yelped.

"Whoa, I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction. Usually girls love that sort of thing," Shiraishi said, removing his hand from my face and shrugging.

"It's not that, it's just…." I stopped, my face a fire-engine red. I touched the petal, the material soft and silky. "Do you believe in that sort of thing?" I asked.

"Not really. But it's fun to know such things, right?" Shiraishi replied, rising to his full height.

I was disappointed with his answer, though I didn't understand why. It wasn't like I believed in such things myself.

"Ah, crap, is that the time already?!" Shiraishi cried, checking his phone. "I need to get going." Shiraishi hurried past me, running down the asphalt road before stopping and looking back at me. "Hang in there, okay, Evans-san? Like the black pansy, you'll survive just fine. I believe in you!"

And with that, Shiraishi ran down the road, disappearing down a path. I remained stooped by the flowers, my heart rate slowing to a normal pace and my face cooling. I touched the thin petals again, not helping the faint smile as I recalled Shiraishi's words.

_Whoever carries this flower will attract their soulmate, huh?_

I knew I said I didn't believe in such things, but at the same time, I couldn't help but hope there was some truth in the claim. As I played with the flower, the pager vibrated in my pocket, jarring me out of my blissful state. I groaned loudly, straightening to my full height and pulling out the pager.

"Now what the heck does he want?" I spoke harshly, glaring at the device that had become the bane of my existence. "Huh? He wants me to pick up his order from the school's bake shop?"

I clenched both hands around the pager, wishing I had Superman's strength to destroy the thing. It's the last day, Gracie. The last day. Surely, you can survive one more day, right?

* * *

After retrieving Atobe's order from the school's bake shop, I took the bus to Oishii's where Atobe had wanted me to deliver the treats to him. I wheeled the hand trolley of expensive baked treats up the cobbled stone pathway, stopping outside the double glass doors and inhaling deeply. I hadn't set foot in Oishii's ever since my blowout with Atobe. It seemed like every time I entered this place, I always faced some kind of trouble.

_May today be an exception,_ I prayed silently before heading inside.

As usual, the place was crowded with customers as waiters and waitresses moved to and fro throughout the restaurant. I scanned the area, spotting Kabaji standing stoically beside Atobe, who sat alone by the window, preoccupied with his cell phone. He had traded his workout outfit with a black and blue hoodie, blue jeans and white sneakers with black and blue laces. I sighed heavily, approaching his table while ignoring the glares, snickers and sly comments. Atobe pocketed his phone when he spotted me, his mouth curling into a smirk.

"Took you long enough," he huffed.

"Well, the bake store is on the other side of campus," I replied coolly. Atobe frowned, displeasure evident in expression, and I quickly apologized. "Forgive my rude reply, your majesty. I'm sorry for making you wait." I bowed deeply, wishing for someone, anyone, to put me out of my misery.

"My, my, Ore-sama must admit he'll miss this. Having a commoner as a slave was not as dreadful as Ore-sama feared it would be," Atobe said.

_Yeah, well the feeling's not mutual, buddy; being your slave was a thousand times worse than_ I _feared,_ I thought, straightening myself while maintaining a straight face.

"Kabaji," Atobe snapped his fingers.

"Usu," Kabaji said, taking the hand trolley from me as Atobe stood from his seat.

"By the way, just what are you trying to do with that flower in your hair?" Atobe asked, frowning in disapproval.

I matched his frown, my eyes sparking indignantly. "A friend gave it to me."

"Ho, you still have those? Rather impressive," Atobe snickered. "But seriously, get rid of it; you look ridiculous. Well, more ridiculous than usual," Atobe added.

I rolled my eyes, carefully removing the flower from my hair and gently placing it in my pocket.

"Ore-sama said get rid of it, not keep it," Atobe said.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not deaf, so Ore-sama won't repeat himself," Atobe replied.

I scowled, crossing my arms and glaring defiantly up at the purple-haired boy. "No."

"What was that?"

"I'm sorry, forgive me. I meant, no, your majesty," I replied, curtsying.

Atobe's eyes narrowed, his smirk melting into a dark scowl. "Are you disobeying Ore-sama? And on the last day of the deal, you're choosing _now_ to disobey?"

"You're being completely unreasonable! Why must I get rid of the flower?" I demanded.

"Slaves don't question their masters, they obey. Now, Ore-sama will give you one more chance. If you do not listen, the deal is off," Atobe threatened.

I stood there, jaw clenched and nails digging into my arms in an attempt to prevent myself from snapping out on Atobe. Why was I being so stubborn, anyway? It was a simple flower. There were literally hundreds like it blooming all over the school's campus, so why? Was I really going to blow things with Atobe all for some dumb, common flower? I sighed heavily, dropping my arms and dipping my hand into the pocket where I could feel the black pansy's soft, silky petals and immediately I recalled Shiraishi's words.

" _You've been through quite a lot since you've arrived to this school, but despite the troubles, your spirit never seems to falter."_

" _Hang in there, okay, Evans-san? Like the black pansy, you'll survive just fine. I believe in you!"_

I set my jaw, my eyes flashing in contempt as I glared Atobe down, not making another move. When Atobe saw my defiant expression, he scoffed, shaking his head, the smirk back on his face.

"What a waste," he muttered.

"Excuse me!" a young waiter cried, weaving his way through the tables while carrying several drinks on a tray as he hurried to deliver the order.

One customer scooted her chair back to stand and bumped into the waiter, causing him to lose his balance and topple forward. The drinks sailed forward, the glass containers smashing to the ground and splattering their liquid contents onto those within close distance. The drinks had thoroughly soaked Atobe's white sneakers, the shoes no longer white but now sported brown and red.

"My shoes!" Atobe exclaimed.

Immediately, the café fell silent, with customers and fellow waiters and waitresses looking over to see the commotion. I tried my best not to burst out laughing.

"A-Atobe-san, I'm so sorry—!"

"Your apologies are useless! If sorry could fix everything, there would be no wars!" Atobe snapped.

The waiter bowed his head deeply. "Please, Atobe-san, I _am_ terribly sorry. Have mercy!"

My heart broke at the remorseful waiter because I knew the guy was in a world of trouble.

"You!" Atobe growled at one waitress, carrying a tray of milkshakes and beckoned her over.

"Yes, Atobe-san?" the waitress asked, hurrying over.

"Ore-sama will give you a chance to redeem yourself, Garbage Girl. I want you to pour the milkshake on this idiot," Atobe said.

"What?! Why do _I_ have to do it?" I demanded.

"Do this, and our deal is complete," Atobe promised.

"Seriously?" I asked, not believing the guy.

"Do it now before I change my mind," Atobe replied, scowling.

The waitress held out the tray of milkshakes: there were three chocolate, two strawberry and one vanilla. It was incredible this was happening. Literally seconds before Atobe was going to cancel the deal, but now all I had to do was execute this simple task and I would obtain Atobe's forgiveness and therefore a guarantee of him leaving my parents alone. Students were jeering and egging me on to do the dirty deed, and I glanced over at the waiter, who appeared resigned, dreading for the inevitable. My already broken heart shattered into several more pieces at the boy's distress and, immediately, I was reminded of the girl Atobe so harshly rejected.

"Unless you don't want your family ending up on the street, I suggest you pick a flavor," Atobe said coolly.

I scowled, snatching the vanilla shake off the tray and turned to the waiter, who stared at the ground with the same resigned expression. I stepped forward, whispers flying all around me as students watched in excitement. I noticed, with disgust, most of them had their phones out and trained on me as I stopped in front of the boy, who still kept his head bowed.

"I'm sorry about this kid; his majesty's orders," I said as if that excused my actions, tipping the glass.

I couldn't tear my eyes away as the treat poured down like an icy, creamy waterfall, splashing messily atop the contrite boy's black hair. It was such nice looking hair, too. The restaurant filled with laughter and jeers as some students high-fived each other while others rewarded me thumbs-up, much to my disgust and fury.

"Well done. It's official, you are done serving Ore-sama," Atobe said.

"Really? So, then… my parents…?" I asked.

"Are safe… for now. So long as you know your place and stay there, we shouldn't have anymore problems," Atobe replied.

"Right," I muttered.

I strode towards the exit, ignoring the congratulatory comments on my way. Some people even patted me on the back! I shuddered, bursting out the double doors and feeling the sun's warm rays on my skin. Despite the warm temperature, my body felt cold all over. I couldn't shake the image of the boy as I poured the milkshake on him.

_But I had to do it… if I didn't Atobe would have gone after my parents…. No, I did the right thing. I don't care what anyone says, I'm not in the wrong here! That guy… he should have been more careful. He has no one but himself to blame…._

"Garbage Girl…. Garbage Girl…. _Garbage Girl!_ " Atobe snapped.

I started, blinking as I found myself once again in the restaurant with the waiter knelt on the ground, staring up at me pleadingly. Something ice cold and heavy was in my left hand, and I realized I was still holding the vanilla milkshake. Turned out, I had been daydreaming. Atobe was glaring at me while the students were whispering amongst themselves with some having their phones trained on me.

"Well? Ore-sama is waiting," Atobe snapped impatiently.

I didn't reply, approaching the boy and suspending the treat high above his head. The boy closed his eyes, visibly shaking.

"I-I'm s-sorry, Atobe-senpai. P-please…!" the boy pleaded.

"If you're truly remorseful, then you'll accept this punishment without trouble," Atobe said.

"I'm sorry," I said, tilting the glass. The boy squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the cold. "I'm sorry that… Atobe's such a jerk!" I spun around, flinging the milkshake Atobe's way and catching everyone off guard.

The ice cold treat nailed Atobe right in the face, coating his face in vanilla.

" _Argh!_ What are you doing?!" Atobe hissed, swiping at his face.

"Oh, I'm not finished yet."

I nabbed one of the strawberry milkshakes from the tray, dumping it on his soiled shoes.

"Blech! You insolent brat! Do you know what you've done?!" Atobe shouted.

"Yeah, I do! And I wish I had done this _much_ sooner. I should have _never_ agreed to be your servant," I growled.

"So, you'd willingly throw away your parents' future?!"

"I realize what I'm doing is bad news for my parents, but I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I just let things continue like this. There's no way I can just standby and allow you to do what you want," I replied.

Atobe glared hard at me, sneering. "If that's the case, then you can just kiss your life goodbye because it's as good as gone when I get through with you and your family!"

"Sounds to me like I don't have anything to lose anymore, then." I swiped up a chocolate cake from a nearby table, flinging it at Atobe's chest.

Atobe smacked the cake away before it could hit its mark. "Kabaji!" he screamed.

"Usu." Kabaji lumbered towards me, arms outstretched, but I sprinted in the opposite direction, heading for the exit.

I quickly removed the Mary Jane heels, hurling them at the guy. One missed its mark while the other landed square in Kabaji's face. He slowed his pace, clutching his face in pain. Seizing the opportunity, I dashed out the doors, the bus once again arriving to my rescue.

"Ah, thank God," I sighed, relieved, as I entered the bus.

It pulled away just in time as Kabaji burst from the restaurant. I glanced back, Kabaji and Oishii's disappearing around the bend and turned back around, sinking further into the seat in complete satisfaction and relief. I knew my actions spelled trouble for my family, but I didn't regret my actions, not even a tiny bit. I pulled out the black pansy, enjoying its softness.

" _Hang in there, okay, Evans-san? Like the black pansy, you'll survive just fine. I believe in you!"_

I tucked the flower behind my ear, smiling widely as I gazed at my reflection in the window, content with what I saw.

* * *

When I arrived back to my room, immediately I trashed the maid's outfit, stomping the outfit several times in the trash bin and pouring soda I had opened the night before on it. I would have burned the outfit, but Ryogoku had a strict ban on lighters, so I had to improvise. As for the pager, I hurled it with all my might to the ground, squealing in complete satisfaction and joy as it disintegrated into a million pieces. No more serving the Jerk King. Life was good. Except, of course, the fact that my parents would soon be out of their jobs, and we would be homeless, but otherwise, life was good. My cellphone rang, buzzing on top the dresser. I bounded toward it, my eyes widening when I saw I had missed five calls from Mom.

_Oh, my gosh, don't tell me it's happening already! That was quick!_ I thought, answering the call with dread.

"Hello, Gracie?" Mom greeted, her voice thick with worry, which set me on edge.

"Hey, Mom," I returned, settling onto my bed.

"Hey, dear, how's school?"

"Um…."

"I'm asking because Yasumi told me you haven't been acting like yourself lately, and I… well, I just wanted to check in and see how you're doing." Immense relief flooded my entire body and I flopped backward, tension leaving my body. That's right. I had forgotten about my plan to have Yasumi drop hints that things were going badly over here. I made a mental note to thank Yasumi later. "Are the rich kids treating you nicely?"

I snorted at Mom's question. "Not really. It's, uh, pretty brutal over here, Mom. They know I'm here on a scholarship and remind me of it everyday."

"Oh, I knew it," Mom muttered. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Gracie. But surely you've made some friends? How about your roommate, is she nice?"

"Well, yeah, but… well, Mom, there's something I gotta tell you," I said.

"What is it?"

I inhaled deeply, prepared to share my story when I heard ruffling coming from the door. I shot up, prepared to run at moment's notice when I spotted a slim white envelope lying beside the door.

_What the…?_ I wondered.

I picked up the envelope, studying it suspiciously as I opened the door, searching up and down the hallway, but it was empty.

"Gracie? Gracie, you said there's something you wanted to tell me?" Mom reminded me.

"Yeah, hold on, Mom," I said. _To Gracie?_ I read the neat handwriting silently, my brows scrunching in confusion. I turned the envelope open to find it unsealed and pulled out the letter, unfolding it.

Gracie,

You really did it now, huh? You're either very brave or very stupid. But then perhaps it's your stupidity which allows you to be so brave? Well, whatever it is, you are officially the most hated person on campus. You know those few friends you had? Kiss 'em goodbye because now, whoever's caught hanging out with you, will automatically become an enemy of Atobe's and nobody wants that for the obvious reasons. But not all's lost…. I'm willing to help you _and_ your family. You see, it's high time someone dethroned the Cruel King, and you're just the person to help with that. I can protect your family, but I will only do it on one condition: you must stay in school. If you transfer out, you're on your own. But remain in Ryogoku, and I can assure you, your family and anyone else Atobe might target, will be safe. That's all for now. Be on the lookout for more letters. I really do look forward to working with you Gracie….

P.S. Let's keep this between you and me, okay?

Signed,

Your Supporter

I had to reread the letter three times for its contents to sink in. What? Who? I couldn't believe it. No way could this person truly help me with my dilemma because, from what I heard, no one could oppose Atobe. The only way for this person to keep his or her promise is if they held more clout than Atobe, and once again, according to everyone, that would be no one. So, who could this person be? Plus, if they did have more clout than Atobe, why would they need my help to dethrone the guy?

_The person said to keep this a secret, so that means I can't ask An about this._

"Gracie, you still there?" Mom spoke, jarring me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, geez, Mom, I'm so sorry! I totally forgot I was on the phone with you," I admitted.

"It's fine, Gracie. You're busy, huh? We can talk later, if you like," Mom suggested.

"Yes, yes, later would be great," I agreed.

"Okay, but do me a favor, call Yasumi. She seems really upset and worried about you," Mom said.

"I will, Mom, thanks. Bye, love you."

"Love you, too."

Immediately, I dialed Yasumi's number and waited for the call to go through.

"Yello, how may I help you?" Yasumi greeted cheerily.

"Yasumi, I could seriously kiss you! Mom called me, all worried, asking if the 'rich kids are treating me nicely,'" I snickered.

"You're very welcome! Awesome, your plan is working! Soon, you'll be home before you know it."

"Or not," I sighed.

"Well, don't be negative _now_. Come on, this plan of yours will work," Yasumi assured me.

"Oh, that's not the problem," I replied.

"Then what is?"

"Are you sitting right now?"

"Yeah, I'm in bed."

"Good, because do I have a story to tell you…."


End file.
